tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog?p=7Music Mentoring Minds2024-03-05T10:00:00-08:00SoundLife Music Academy falsetag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73581242024-03-05T10:00:00-08:002024-03-05T10:00:03-08:00Student Of The Month: Riley<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><strong>Congratulations to Riley on being selected as our </strong><br><strong>March Student of the Month! </strong></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/1b76f5d2f38e82220bab4de979717df10cc1b9c6/original/screen-shot-2024-02-27-at-9-38-45-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" height="1244" /><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Riley began his journey with SoundLife on February 22, 2021, as a piano and vocal student under </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6758826/teacher-feature-the-power-of-music-anna-mezentseva" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">Anna</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">. This initiation took place amid the global pandemic, a time when SoundLife was unable to conduct in-person lessons or events. However, even in this virtual environment, Riley thrived. Within a few brief months, he actively participated in Virtual Showcase V.3, delivering a remarkable rendition of </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKSi6hFOVHs&t=2654s" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">Train's "Hey Soul Sister"</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> and crafting an impressive rooftop music video. When we received his submission, the entire SL team was astounded. Remarkably, Riley was only 8 years old at the time. The subsequent month marked another milestone for Riley when he received his first acknowledgment as Student of the Month – </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6676341/student-of-the-month-riley" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">click here for more details</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Fast forward to the present, Riley is once again being lauded for his incredible growth and work ethic. In the years following his Showcase debut, Riley transitioned to live, in-person Showcases, challenging himself with each performance. This journey reached its pinnacle with an exceptional renditions of of </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_FLeR2Yrp98lENNardKnhqySWSKC8op6/view?usp=drive_link" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">“Golden Hour” and "Yellow"</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> at Showcase XXI in December 2023. His courage and focus serve as an inspiration, and the fruits of his labor are a source of pride for us all.</span></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/228b2f6add50e71912b6ba469666a052cf6ab7cc/original/screen-shot-2024-02-27-at-9-39-59-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" height="1228" /><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">During the Summer of 2023, Riley, alongside a friend and SL family member Pepper, formed a band – The Flame Seekers. Due to scheduling constraints, these rockers were unable to participate in our Showcase. Nevertheless, on Sunday, March 3, 2024, they made their stage debut, presenting a full set of material that left an indelible mark. They were nothing short of legendary.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">At SoundLife, we emphasize exposing students to various platforms for showcasing their newfound skills – bands, concerts, jam sessions, and more. While many students may not fully seize these opportunities, Riley has embraced them wholeheartedly. It's a two-way street; we provide the stage, but it takes determination and a courageous spirit to step onto it. This is why Riley inspires us, and we firmly believe that with such an attitude, there ain't no mountain high enough.</span></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/32046796fcfcd01827dcea26731c81e657270f9c/original/screen-shot-2024-02-27-at-9-39-45-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" height="1238" /><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Riley! </strong></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons and playing in a band? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">When I take lessons I like learning new things like scales and chords. I also love to learn new songs and perform them. I do get very nervous, but I push through and get it done.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">I like to have a knowledge of music and how it all comes together. I want to be a football player when I grow up, but when I retire I could make music.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist and why?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">I don't have a favorite right now. I like a lot of artists and different genres. I like rap music the most and artists like Drake, but I don't rap, yet.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73581332024-03-01T10:00:00-08:002024-03-01T10:00:05-08:00SoundLife Annual Calendar 2024-2025<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>SoundLife Music Academy - Annual Calendar (March 2024 to February 2025)</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>March 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>3/3:</strong> Band Night w/ Flame Seekers @ The Backyard Bash</p><p style="text-align:center;">🍀 <strong>3/17:</strong> St.Patrick’s Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎵 <strong>3/26-3/29:</strong> Intro To Music Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>April 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🥁 <strong>4/7:</strong> Jam Session w/ SoundLife @ 1 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;">📝 <strong>4/28:</strong> Virtual Songwriters Circle @ 7 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>May 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>5/6:</strong> Open Mic Night w/ SoundLife @ Republic Of Pie</p><p style="text-align:center;">🌟 <strong>5/27:</strong> Memorial Day</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>June 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🎶 <strong>6/5:</strong> All-Star House Band Rehearsal</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>6/5:</strong> Full Dress Rehearsal (Bands)</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>6/8:</strong> Showcase XXII</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎁 <strong>6/16:</strong> Father’s Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>6/17-6/21:</strong> Advanced Guitar Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>6/17-6/21:</strong> Vocal Performance Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;">🥁 <strong>6/17-6/21:</strong> Rhythm Section For Drummers</p><p style="text-align:center;">🌍 <strong>6/19:</strong> Juneteenth</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>6/24:</strong> SoundLife @ Marlborough Summer School Begins</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>July 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🇺🇸 <strong>7/4:</strong> Independence Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>7/26:</strong> SoundLife @ Marlborough Summer School Ends</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>August 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🎚️ <strong>8/5-8/9:</strong> Music Production Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;">📝 <strong>8/5-8/9:</strong> Songwriting Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>8/25:</strong> Virtual Songwriters Circle @ 7 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>September 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🌟 <strong>9/2:</strong> Labor Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>9/8:</strong> Open Mic Night w/ SoundLife @ Republic Of Pie</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>9/21:</strong> Band Nights @ Venue TBD</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>October 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🥁 <strong>10/6:</strong> Jam Session w/ SoundLife @ 1 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;">🌎 <strong>10/14:</strong> Indigenous Peoples Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎃 <strong>10/31:</strong> Halloween</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>November 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">📝 <strong>11/3:</strong> Virtual Songwriters Circle @ 7 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎖️ <strong>11/11:</strong> Veterans Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>11/25-11/27:</strong> Intro To Acoustic Guitar Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;">🍁 <strong>11/28:</strong> Thanksgiving</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>December 2024:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🎶 <strong>12/10:</strong> All-Star House Band Rehearsal</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎸 <strong>12/10:</strong> Full Dress Rehearsal (Bands)</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>12/14:</strong> Showcase XXIII</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎄 <strong>12/25:</strong> Christmas Day</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>January 2025:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🎉 <strong>1/1:</strong> New Year’s Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎵 <strong>1/2 & 1/3:</strong> Intro To Music Workshop</p><p style="text-align:center;">🎤 <strong>1/12:</strong> Open Mic Night w/ SoundLife @ Republic Of Pie</p><p style="text-align:center;">🌈 <strong>1/20:</strong> MLK Day</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>February 2025:</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">🥁 <strong>2/9:</strong> Jam Session w/ SoundLife @ 1 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;">💖 <strong>2/14:</strong> Valentine’s Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">🇺🇸 <strong>2/17:</strong> President’s Day</p><p style="text-align:center;">📝 <strong>2/23:</strong> Virtual Songwriters Circle @ 7 pm</p><p style="text-align:center;">Please note that dates are subject to change, and any updates or modifications will be communicated in advance. Stay tuned for an exciting year of musical exploration and growth at SoundLife Music Academy! 🎵</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73424302024-02-06T09:00:00-08:002024-02-11T23:34:10-08:00Student Of The Month: Pablo<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><strong>Congratulations to Pablo on being selected as our February Student of the Month!</strong></p><p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/4eb3fca964f6a4f60ea7c66d41aed5919d52cf68/original/pablo-guitar-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Player" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">At the intersection of curiosity and inspiration, one name shines brightly this month as we proudly announce Pablo McConchie as our February Student of the Month. Pablo, a dedicated and passionate guitar player, began formal lessons with SoundLife in September of 2023. In the short amount of time from then until now, he has left an indelible mark on his instructor Jason, who comments regularly on his courage and work ethic, saying:</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">“He’s focused, he listens, and his love of music is fueling his enthusiasm, and the results are beginning to show.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">One of the defining moments of Pablo's musical journey occurred just before he began taking regular lessons. Shortly after signing up Pablo suffered a painful broken wrist. He was sidelined for quite some time, pushing the start of his lessons further back. For some, this might challenge their momentum or even prevent them from ever getting started. But that’s not Pablo’s story. Since getting his cast off, he’s been playing the guitar like a man on fire. He’s become increasingly self-motivated. Over the holiday break, he learned nearly four new songs all on his own.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">In lessons, he approaches each challenge with a positive attitude and an insatiable curiosity. His dedication to mastering both the technical and expressive aspects of the instrument sets him apart as a true guitar monster in the making. Pablo is currently working on “In the Meantime” by Spacehog. One of the main hooks includes a repetitive string bend, which is a milestone technique for any electric guitar player. During a recent lesson, he struggled with it at first but never became discouraged or disinterested because it seemed “too hard.” Jason commented on this, saying, “I’m fully confident that he will have practiced the part all week and will have added string bending into his ever-expanding bag of tricks.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">As we celebrate Pablo McConchie as our Student of the Month, we are not just acknowledging his musical talent but also recognizing the positive example he sets for our musical family. Congratulations, Pablo! Your journey is an inspiration to us all, and we can't wait to see where your musical path leads next. Keep strumming and shining!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/bee1018498c4bb7ad55384de0d744bdaa98d0647/original/francesca-mcconchie-1995.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Student" /></span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Pablo!</strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc?</strong></span></p><p><br><span style="color:#374151;">I like expanding my mind, learning new techniques that then give me the skills to teach myself songs in my spare time. Music is a nice way for me to express my emotions.</span></p><p><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong></span></p><p><br><span style="color:#374151;">I don't have an ultimate goal yet; I'm just enjoying making it a bigger part of my life. It's becoming more and more a part of who I am.</span></p><p><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Who is your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p><br><span style="color:#374151;">It is hard for me to choose a favorite, but I do love the White Stripes. I like Jack White's rhythmic style of playing and the whole vibe it gives off.</span></p><p><span style="color:#374151;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/36a2ddf8cb6f8ffec4e6b6829bfe92ec3ca4c263/original/pablo-guitar-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73277562024-01-09T09:00:00-08:002024-01-09T09:00:05-08:00SoundLife's 21st Student Showcase: A Symphony of Talent and Passion<p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/42905424839d19e46eee8831bf101252b70977c3/original/screen-shot-2024-01-03-at-10-36-55-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Voice Lessons" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife Music Academy proudly presented its 21st </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases"><span style="color:#000000;">Student Showcase</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, an afternoon that transformed the stage into a tapestry of musical brilliance and artistic expression. Held on December 9 at El Cid in Silverlake, the event showcased the incredible talent and dedication of our students, highlighting the culmination of months of hard work and musical exploration.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">In the photo above you see Eden, belting with her band Sunday for a full 20 minute powerhouse set. Picture below is Daniella in her very first Showcase performance. She took on “Love Story” by Taylor Swift and not only played </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/guitar-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons"><span style="color:#000000;">guitar</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, but sang beautifully through the entire song with accompaniment from her instructor Menea. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b0889afba71a03fb83aa645322d24f2a07ac9871/original/screen-shot-2024-01-03-at-10-43-33-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The audience was treated to a diverse array of performances, ranging from soulful solo acts to full bands, spanning genres from classical and jazz to contemporary pop, progressive rock, and heavy metal. The stage came alive with the sound of guitars strumming, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/keyboard-piano-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Keyboard & Piano Lessons"><span style="color:#000000;">keyboards</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> resonating, and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/voice-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Voice Lessons"><span style="color:#000000;">voices</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> soaring, creating a musical journey that captivated everyone in attendance.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/3970018c886249658e2ea227b94bf88e1732367d/original/screen-shot-2024-01-02-at-2-13-02-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Band Coaching" /></span></p><p dir="ltr">In the photo above we see Marko, performing alongside our All-Star House Band for a captivating rendition of “Colors” by The Black Pumas. This was Marko's first time on the Showcase stage, first time performing in front of an audience, and first time playing with a band. He was incredible. Picture below is August, another first time performer. He took on “Rumble” by Link Wrey and that smile says it all. August was fantastic and we can't wait to see what he does next.<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/44f3df9e12a6a1561bf038ed49401cbc00ffa161/original/screen-shot-2024-01-03-at-10-42-55-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The concert featured students of all ages and skill levels, reflecting the inclusivity and passion that define the SoundLife community. Each performer brought a unique flair to the stage, infusing their personality into every note and chord. As we like to say “dress to express.” The energy and enthusiasm were palpable, creating a vibrant atmosphere that resonated with both performers and the engaged audience.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">As the concert unfolded, it became evident that SoundLife's commitment to fostering a love for music and nurturing individual creativity has yielded exceptional results. The applause that filled the venue after each performance was a testament to the hard work and dedication exhibited by our students, instructors, and the entire SoundLife community.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/9c37465253748a90e46c19ac09f952f53c1a40cc/original/screen-shot-2024-01-03-at-10-37-50-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Songwriting Lessons" /></span></p><p dir="ltr">In the photo above we see Natalie, one of only two students (the other happens to be her sister who also performed) who have participating in all 21 of our concerts. Yes folks, that a record that won't soon be broken. Natalie treated the audience to two original compositions arranged for two acoustic guitars. These were beautiful songs that really showcased her growth as a <a class="no-pjax" href="/songwriting-program" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Songwriting Program">songwriter</a>. </p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/3c2762d3cdd2a97044dd3604e9a5dbf6b88d8e83/original/screen-shot-2024-01-03-at-10-39-10-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Drum Lessons" /><p dir="ltr">In the top picture we see Guy, long time SoundLife student and SoundLife mentor. For this concert Guy joined in with the All-Star House Band to support his fellow students. He also performed a song of his choosing with the All-Star House Band, which was “Domination” by Pantera. This may be the heaviest song we've ever heard at a SoundLife Showcase. Below we see the band GRB. Their name comes from their rehearsal space appropriately dubbed "The Green Room." GRB performed a full 15 minute set, but it was their closer “Sweet Child O'Mine” by Guns & Roses that really turned heads. Zeke, their lead guitarist, nailed his solos from top to bottom. </p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/96a9b52c56aadb9bb1a181502ed24da5488779ae/original/screen-shot-2024-01-03-at-10-38-36-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Band Coaching" /><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended the 21st Student Showcase, making it a day to remember. It is the unwavering support of our community that continues to inspire and propel the growth of these talented musicians.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife remains committed to providing a platform for musical exploration and expression. We look forward to many more years of showcasing the extraordinary talents of our students and fostering a community where the love of music knows no bounds.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Thank you for being a part of the 21st Student Showcase – a celebration of music, passion, and the boundless possibilities that arise when art and community converge. Until the next one!</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73273212024-01-09T09:00:00-08:002024-01-29T13:25:13-08:00Student Of The Month: Marko<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#121212;"><strong>Congratulations to Marko on being selected as our January Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#121212;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/ed20ee31e6f659a18ad7c4086ebcadea5a951beb/original/screen-shot-2024-01-02-at-2-12-32-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span data-mc-assist="true">On December 9, 2023, Marko made his debut on the Showcase stage. He performed “Colors” by The Black Pumas with our All-Star House Band. Despite being a newcomer to the stage, Marko showed no hesitation or shyness. Instead, he confidently led a band packed with LA's best session musicians, delivering a mesmerizing performance from beginning to end. </span><br><br><span data-mc-assist="true">Before starting the song, Marko explained his choice of “Colors” to the audience. He passionately described how the song symbolizes unity, emphasizing that we are all equal despite our skin color differences. It's worth noting that Marko, who started lessons just three months before in September 2023, is only ten years old. His words resonated not only with the audience but also with the band, enhancing the performance's overall impact. </span><br><br><span data-mc-assist="true">Interestingly, Marko had already been chosen as our Student of the Month before his performance, based on his in-lesson work and subsequent progress. Simultaneously, we identified our top three leaderboard contenders and discovered Marko also secured second place, earning him a $100 Guitar Center gift card. With his outstanding performance, it's safe to say December was a momentous month for Marko. We appreciate Marko for his positive influence and example. His musicianship is limitless, and we are privileged to have him in the SoundLife family.</span></p><p dir="ltr"> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/e7c9125558862f68fe8058bef5b23d7f29bcf320/original/screen-shot-2024-01-02-at-2-13-02-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#121212;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Marko! </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>•What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/ etc? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"> I like taking lessons because it really helps me accelerate and improve faster. I like my teacher. I like how kind and patient he is. I also get to learn songs that I like to play.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">I like playing in the band because it brings each other together. It helps us connect and get to know each other more. I like the joy and energy the live band brings. There is a cool vibration that is very special when you are on stage with the band. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>•What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">This is a hard question… I want to be among the best singers and bring joy to the world with my music.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>•Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">For guitar, it’s Ed Sheeran because I just admire the way he creates his music.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">For singing, it’s Michael Jackson because I love his lyrics and his style of singing. </span></p><p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73122762023-12-05T10:00:00-08:002024-01-02T14:04:05-08:00Student of the Month: August<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#121212;"><strong>Congratulations to August on being selected as our December Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/6c26aac11cd559bd786c1222b5b6f9b677241654/original/image1.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">August began his musical journey with SoundLife at 8 years old in March 2023 as a guitar student with our instructor, Ray. Aside from taking basic ukulele lessons when he was just 4 years old, he came into his lessons as a beginner. Typically, students his age, between six and ten years old, struggle with holding full chords, playing/strumming in time, and working their way through entire songs. It often takes a few years to build up the skills, finger strength, finger independence, and muscle memory to feel a sense of command over the instrument. The guitar is not necessarily an instantly gratifying tool. It takes time and discipline. But August is an exception.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">In our team meetings, Ray regularly reports tremendous progress, citing August’s incredible work ethic. Ray said, “August has been one of my most enthusiastic students; he is always curious and excited about new chords and repertoire. He is never shy to show his bombastic spirit. He’s overcome many technical obstacles since beginning guitar with me. He has also developed a personal passion for songs based on shonen, Japanese action anime, and we are both excited to see where his unique passion takes us in the future.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">At the time of this writing, August is just over a week away from performing on stage in his very first SoundLife Showcase. He will be performing the song “Rumble” by Link Wray. This classic requires a command of full chords, an understanding of how to switch chords in time along with the recording, and an awareness of song form. And this doesn’t even include the bravery, courage, and excited spirit that comes with sharing one’s skills. August has it all—and in a remarkable amount of time. His hard work is clearly paying off, and we can’t wait to see where music takes him next.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/ba6d07a77b910b3a0b8d18918a8c502bed55f7aa/original/image0.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#121212;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know August! </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>August:</strong> I like playing the guitar because it allows me to express myself. Music makes me feel good, and I get to wiggle out my fingers! Music is another way to give messages so people can feel better when they are sad. When I listen to music, it gives me a lot of energy, like an energy cord! I love playing music outside on my iPad when I’m practicing baseball off my tee or just shooting some hoops, which makes being outside even more fun. If you want to listen to music outside, just ask your parents to help to set it up, and then just be yourself!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>A: </strong>My ultimate goal playing music is to inspire people so that they know if you keep practicing, you can do anything.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>A:</strong> My favorite type of music is alternative rock and hip hop, but my favorite band is Imagine Dragons because I think their music sounds cool.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/73124812023-12-01T11:33:13-08:002023-12-04T22:46:59-08:00A Musical Sleigh Ride: Exploring the Best Christmas Songs<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/287f25c740bad6564aaf7439d229cbaafa07dca0/original/screen-shot-2023-12-01-at-11-28-04-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Christmas Songs" /></p><p>The holiday season is upon us, and what better way for young music maestros to celebrate than by diving into the enchanting world of Christmas music? As budding musicians, you have a golden opportunity to not only enjoy the festive melodies but also uncover the rich history and musical nuances behind each song. In this blog, we'll embark on a musical journey through time, discovering interesting facts about timeless Christmas classics—perfect for inspiring your own musical creations.</p><h4><strong>1. "Jingle Bells" (1857):</strong></h4><p>Kickstarting our festive playlist is the timeless "Jingle Bells." Did you know this merry tune wasn't originally a Christmas song? Composed in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont for Thanksgiving, its infectious melody and upbeat lyrics quickly turned it into a holiday favorite. As young music creators, experiment with different rhythms and instruments to give "Jingle Bells" your unique twist.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/09c78bf4c5251ed8e0f21baded6306a5acc24530/original/screen-shot-2023-12-01-at-11-28-59-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Singing Christmas Songs" /></p><h4><strong>2. "Silent Night" (1818):</strong></h4><p>"Silent Night," a serene carol originating from Austria in 1818, showcases the power of simplicity and emotion in music. The lyrics by Joseph Mohr and the melody by Franz Xaver Gruber were born out of necessity when the church organ broke. Young musicians, take inspiration from this beautiful acoustic piece, and try expressing deep emotions through your instruments.</p><h4><strong>3. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1949):</strong></h4><p>Fast-forwarding to the mid-20th century, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" introduces a playful and whimsical vibe to our Christmas repertoire. Written by Johnny Marks and made famous by Gene Autry, this song encourages creativity with its joyful narrative. Young music enthusiasts, consider creating your own festive compositions, drawing inspiration from the cheerful spirit of Rudolph.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/d83beb6bf06318b20e3ffe8cc045e12d75d70773/original/screen-shot-2023-12-01-at-11-27-24-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Santa Claus Singing" /></p><h4><strong>4. "Winter Wonderland" (1934):</strong></h4><p>"Winter Wonderland," composed by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith in 1934, whisks us away to a snowy dreamscape. Did you know Smith found inspiration in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, the self-proclaimed "Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae"? Young musicians, let this be a reminder that your next musical masterpiece might be inspired by the unexpected—just like a sundae in a winter wonderland.</p><h4><strong>5. "Feliz Navidad" (1970):</strong></h4><p>Closing our musical celebration is the lively "Feliz Navidad" by José Feliciano, a fusion of English and Spanish lyrics that spreads joy worldwide. Released in 1970, this song invites young musicians to explore diverse musical styles and languages. Incorporate your cultural influences into your compositions, just like Feliciano did with this festive anthem.</p><h4><strong>Conclusion:</strong></h4><p>As you explore the musical wonders of Christmas, remember that the holiday season is not just about the presents but also about the gift of music that unites us all. Young music maestros, let the timeless melodies and intriguing stories behind these Christmas classics inspire your own compositions. From our musical hearts to yours, we wish you a harmonious and joyous holiday season!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72939332023-10-26T11:02:19-07:002023-11-28T07:21:33-08:00Students of the Month: Violet & Emilia<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#121212;"><strong>Congratulations to Violet & Emilia on being selected as our November Students of the Month!</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/918b7df27f773d60952b0f83d37cbb6676da8f38/original/screenshot-2023-10-25-at-1-39-05-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/9f65474d4f65fe5522dba107f16e550b51b1d8bf/original/screenshot-2023-10-25-at-1-38-45-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Meet Violet and Emilia! Two sisters with rock 'n’ roll in their DNA. These young rockstars joined the SoundLife family in November of 2021 when Violet took up the drums and Emilia took the path of singing, playing piano, and producing. Now, nearly two years later, they already have multiple gigs under their belts, including one at the world-famous </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/fPMyYfNosd4" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(240,75%,60%);"><u>Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;">, where they performed on stage with their mother for her birthday concert.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Their instructor, Sam, nominated both girls to be celebrated this month since they both put in the work to learn the song they performed, came to rehearsals, and played with a full band for the first time ever. Yes, you read that right: Violet and Emilia not only jumped onto one of the most iconic stages in the world, but they did it with a full band of professional musicians. They practiced like pros, rehearsed like pros, and guess what happened? They performed like pros. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/c4a4bb49cd6736d2d1ab07fb3ba1f1d9bcf8b93a/original/screen-shot-2023-10-26-at-10-52-19-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Prior to this experience, both Emilia and Violet took the stage for our previous Showcase XX, where they each performed songs separately. Violet took on Elle King's “Ex’s and Oh’s,” which she absolutely slayed. Her improvement from showcase to showcase was immense. Emilia followed her by delivering an expressive and energized performance of “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/d5475ad98c17fdac4a36a8af77903b88e6b453ef/original/screen-shot-2023-10-26-at-10-52-53-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Currently, Violet is excited about getting a new drum set and keeping her old one so she and Sam can play together at the same time. Emilia is working on “Imagine” by John Lennon, and she hopes to perform it with her sister at the next SoundLife Showcase. Emilia is also learning how to use Logic, a perfect tool for a young star whose goal is to “inspire people to follow their dreams.” </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">We love celebrating hard work paying off. Congrats to these two future legends. We can’t wait to see what they do next! </span></p><div class="video-container size_l justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="fPMyYfNosd4" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fPMyYfNosd4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Violet & Emilia! </strong></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc.? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Violet:</strong> Because I like rock 'n' roll and it's cool.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Emilia: </strong>Probably rocking out, feeling the moment, and, of course, being freed from everything bothering me through music ever since I started piano at 7 or 8 years old. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong> </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Violet:</strong> To be a singer/drummer. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Emilia: </strong>My goal is to master piano and take my skills and pass them on. I want to inspire people to follow their dreams and never give up hope. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Violet:</strong> Gorillaz because they are weird and British. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Emilia: </strong>Probably ti85. It is actually my cousin's band, but they are surprisingly good. It's a rock band with her boyfriend Dylan and another girl. It's an award-winning band. Check it out on Apple Music or Spotify. It's a good band!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">P.S. My cousin sings. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b1c3e6fcab41020efff38fe28e8fa5e20ff84bba/original/dsc07999.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72927672023-10-24T11:38:52-07:002023-11-06T19:26:12-08:00The Ultimate Guide to the Best Musical Equipment for Beginners<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/310a5a7a-dcd3-415c-912c-11ac22b99340/80.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Acoustic Guitar" /></p><h4><strong>Introduction</strong></h4><p>Embarking on a musical journey can be an exciting and fulfilling experience. Whether you dream of becoming the next guitar virtuoso, a piano maestro, or simply want to dabble in the world of music, choosing the right equipment is essential. As a beginner, you don't need to break the bank on professional-grade gear. In this guide, we'll explore some of the best musical equipment for beginners in various categories, helping you make informed choices without overwhelming your budget.</p><h4><strong>Acoustic Guitars</strong></h4><p>For aspiring guitarists, starting with an acoustic guitar is a wise choice. These guitars are affordable, portable, and versatile. Look for options like the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-F310-Full-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/B000WITGQO?th=1" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Yamaha F310 </a>or the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender/FA-125-Dreadnought-Acoustic-Guitar-Natural-1500000265751.gc?storeCode=&source=4WWRWXGL" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Fender FA-115</a> for excellent sound quality and playability. Additionally, consider investing in a digital tuner to keep your guitar in tune and a capo for exploring different keys without learning complex chord shapes.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="Electric%20Guitar" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/22faacf3-0462-4cbf-a693-453627affe5e/79.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p><h4><strong>Electric Guitars</strong></h4><p>If rock, blues, or metal are more your style, you might prefer an electric guitar. <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier/Affinity-Series-Stratocaster-Maple-Fingerboard-Electric-Guitar-Olympic-White-1500000348232.gc" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">The Squier Affinity Series</a> by Fender is an excellent choice for beginners. It's affordable and comes in various styles and colors. To get started, pair your electric guitar with a small amplifier, like the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.fender.com/en-US/play-home/mustang-lt25/2311100000.html" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Fender Mustang LT25</a>, which includes built-in effects for experimenting with different tones.</p><h4><strong>Keyboards/Pianos</strong></h4><p>For budding pianists and keyboard players, a keyboard with weighted keys is essential for a realistic playing experience. The <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/c505--Digital_Pianos?highlight=P45BK&mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=&lid=58700008506368836&dsproductgroupid=&product_id=P45BK&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=x&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9030968&creative=&targetid=&campaignid=20442635674&awsearchcpc=&&&gclid=CjwKCAjw1t2pBhAFEiwA_-A-NPdwViW1dpjBN4Qz76biuFevmQBSsB9PGB0EsdGDbIsnN4m6LjnwxBoCm48QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Yamaha P-45</a><a class="no-pjax" href="Yamaha%20P-45%20" data-link-type="url"> </a>and <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PXS1100BK--casio-privia-px-s1100-digital-piano-black" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Casio Privia PX-160</a> are excellent options for beginners. You can also consider getting a keyboard stand and a sustain pedal for a more comfortable and versatile playing setup.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/6c7e4b5d-d820-43e2-b735-6f55b74279a6/39.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Drums" /></p><h4><strong>Drums</strong></h4><p>If you have a passion for rhythm, a basic drum kit can be a fantastic choice. The <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DTX402K--yamaha-dtx402k-electronic-drum-set" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Yamaha DTX402K Electronic Drum Kit</a> is ideal for beginners, as it's compact, quiet (thanks to its electronic design), and offers a variety of built-in sounds and practice features. You can also invest in a good pair of drumsticks, practice pads, and noise-canceling headphones for quieter practice sessions.</p><h4><strong>Microphones</strong></h4><p>Whether you're a singer, rapper, or planning to record instruments, a decent microphone is crucial. The <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2020--audio-technica-at2020-cardioid-condenser-microphone" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Audio-Technica AT2020</a> is a reliable and budget-friendly choice for beginners. To complete your setup, you may need a microphone stand and a pop filter to reduce unwanted noise and improve vocal clarity.</p><h4><strong>Recording and Audio Interface</strong></h4><p>For those interested in home recording, an audio interface is a must-have. The <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scar2i2G4--focusrite-scarlett-2i2-4th-gen-usb-audio-interface" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Focusrite Scarlett 2i2</a> is a popular choice for beginners. It allows you to connect your microphone or instrument to your computer for high-quality recordings. Pair it with a digital audio workstation (DAW) software like GarageBand, Logic (for Mac), or Cakewalk (for PC), and you're on your way to creating your own music.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/78f321a9-645e-4349-bcf0-f1327ccd8468/101.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Piano" /></p><h4><strong>Ukuleles</strong></h4><p>Ukuleles are fantastic instruments for beginners due to their small size and easy learning curve. <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KA15S--kala-ka-15-satin-mahogany-soprano-natural-mahogany" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Kala</a> and <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/15CM--cordoba-15cm-15-series-concert-ukulele" data-link-type="url" target="_blank">Cordoba</a> offer quality entry-level ukuleles. They come in various sizes, but starting with a soprano or concert-sized uke is recommended. Consider getting a digital tuner and a beginner's chord book to kick-start your ukulele journey.</p><h4><strong>Conclusion</strong></h4><p>Starting your musical journey as a beginner is an exciting endeavor, and choosing the right equipment is crucial. The best musical equipment for beginners can vary depending on your musical interests, but investing in quality instruments and accessories can make the learning process more enjoyable and rewarding. Remember, practice and dedication are just as important as the equipment you choose, so dive in, have fun, and make beautiful music!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72764602023-09-28T10:41:52-07:002023-10-24T11:38:41-07:00Student of the Month: Carter<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><strong>Congratulations to Carter on being selected as our October Student of the Month!</strong></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b7b6c29b309a9456b8a702bf8062b4b9983094ef/original/screen-shot-2023-09-20-at-6-58-36-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Each month, our team of SoundLife instructors have the opportunity to nominate one student as Student of the Month, and each submission must come with a reason. Typically, students are excelling in their practice, overcoming obstacles, writing / releasing music, performing, graduating, etc. Then there’s Carter (pictured on the front left), a legend in the SoundLife family, having been part of the community for many years.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Carter’s band, Sunday, performed their first 60-minute paid gig in September. They worked their tails off to prepare enough material, and the event was a massive success. This alone is an incredible accomplishment, and we are all very proud of Sunday. </span><br><br><span>Have you ever heard the phrase, “No pain, no gain," or the priceless wisdom of </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/m5U6xmwyFPs?si=4kM8BA5Hrzgi541R" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" data-cke-saved-href="https://youtu.be/m5U6xmwyFPs?si=4kM8BA5Hrzgi541R"><span><u>Spinal Tap when they said, “Good Rock n’ Roll should hurt!”</u></span></a><a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/m5U6xmwyFPs?si=4kM8BA5Hrzgi541R" data-link-type="url" data-cke-saved-href="https://youtu.be/m5U6xmwyFPs?si=4kM8BA5Hrzgi541R"><span>? </span></a><span> Well, Carter played the entire set with a broken collarbone, which he injured only a short time before the performance. Figuring that Carter would be unable to perform, the band’s coach, Enrique, planned to sit behind the kit in Carter's stead.</span><span style="color:#222222;"> He informed our office of the change and began to make arrangements. When he went to the next rehearsal, Carter said, “No, I’m playing.” He and Enrique made minor adjustments to parts, and Carter played through the pain. His courage, conviction, and dedication to his bandmates are characteristics we need to celebrate and share.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Enrique, who is also Carter’s private instructor, had this to say:</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">“I have personally had to get through gigs sometimes, making it work with what the situation presented. Whether it be playing music on a moving and swaying boat out in the rough sea or having a snare drum head break in the middle of the set and then playing the rest of the set on a makeshift snare drum. Never have I pulled off a playing-with-a-broken-collarbone Rambo move like my student Carter did! My props to him for showing his resilience and will to, in a safe manner, work through this tough challenge and have fun doing what he loves.” </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">On that day, Carter became a professional musician. Not just because of the length of his band’s set or the fact that they were paid, but because he lived the one rule every performer understands: “The show must go on!” </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/e16ecbe52618889ebc1fb8ec363f5b1e00ac37ea/original/screen-shot-2023-09-20-at-7-04-47-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Drum Lessons" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Carter! </strong></p><p><span style="color:rgb(49,49,49);"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc.? </strong></span></p><div>I’ve been taking lessons with Enrique for about 4 years and started playing with Sunday the band about a year ago. Even though learning new techniques is hard, I like a challenge in my lessons and the feeling you get when you finally understand it. I love band practices when we all get to hang out and learn and play through songs. We had a really fun show a few weeks ago in Pasadena where we actually got paid to play our music! And I set my drum kit up entirely on the left side of my body to accommodate my broken collarbone. </div><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(49,49,49);"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong> </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">I don’t really know my ultimate goal with music—but hope to keep playing as long as I can, maybe even in college.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(49,49,49);"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Danny Carey from the band Tool because of his crazy drum parts. I don’t listen to the band very much, but I like watching him play. To be honest, I mostly listen to music I wouldn’t play on the drums, more in the hip-hop genre. </span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72764002023-09-20T16:52:38-07:002023-10-02T22:46:15-07:00Overcoming Challenges in Learning an Instrument<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/2b0ddde27cbdcb8ae1e4856dcb9ae4b62091f7cd/original/screen-shot-2023-09-20-at-4-14-38-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Student" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Introduction</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Learning to play a musical instrument is a rewarding and enriching endeavor, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. Whether you're a beginner just starting your musical journey or an experienced musician looking to master a new instrument, the path to proficiency can be fraught with obstacles. In this blog, we'll explore common challenges in learning an instrument and provide practical tips and strategies to overcome them.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Patience and Persistence</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Learning to play an instrument requires patience and persistence. It's essential to understand that progress can be slow, and you may not see immediate results. To overcome this challenge, set realistic goals, break down your practice sessions into smaller, manageable tasks, and celebrate small victories along the way. Remember that mastery takes time, and each practice session brings you one step closer to your musical goals.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">One way we measure and celebrate progress at </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home"><span style="color:#374151;">SoundLife </span></a><span style="color:#374151;">is by using </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.teacherzone.com" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#374151;">Teacher Zone</span></a><span style="color:#374151;">, an online cloud-based learning management system. This tool provides every student with an app they can log into. Once logged in, they have a practice timer, their assignments, and the ability to chat directly with their teacher. Teacher Zone tracks student progress by gamifying the experience, offering points and badges for attending lessons, using the practice timer, completing assignments, and much more. We also hold two annual </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases"><span style="color:hsl(240,75%,60%);"><u>Showcases</u></span></a><span style="color:#374151;">, which provide additional opportunities to celebrate growth within a community setting. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Time Management</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Balancing music practice with other commitments can be challenging. To overcome this challenge, establish a regular practice schedule that fits into your daily routine. Consistency is key, even if you can only spare a short amount of time each day. Use practice apps or reminders to help you stay on track and make the most of your practice sessions.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Our</span><a class="no-pjax" href="/music-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Music Lessons"><span style="color:#374151;"> SoundLife instructors</span></a><span style="color:#374151;"> are trained to listen intently to a student's goals, assess their learning style, and create a customized path toward their goals. With each assignment, our instructors create a practice expectation relative to the student’s age, ability, and learning style. Practice reminders are then established and sent to the student on a cadence they agree upon with the instructor. We always encourage starting small and building up over time. Consistency is crucial. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/bd69af7662125091b7eb810eea3bc346d950c94e/original/screen-shot-2023-09-20-at-4-03-50-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Band Coaching" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Frustration and Discouragement</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Learning an instrument can be frustrating, especially when you encounter difficult passages or struggle with technique. It's common to feel discouraged at times. To overcome this challenge, maintain a positive mindset and remember that every musician, even the most accomplished, faced similar challenges during their journey. Seek support from a teacher, mentor, or fellow musicians who can provide guidance and encouragement. Break challenging parts into smaller segments, and focus on mastering one at a time.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">The concept of a “mentor” is very important, which is why we consider our </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/about-us" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="About Us"><span style="color:#374151;">SoundLife instructors</span></a><span style="color:#374151;"> to be both a mentor and a teacher. The teacher works on technical skills, while the mentor works on the big picture, guiding the student through the overwhelming amount of information coming at them at all times and helping to keep a healthy, fun mindset. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Technical Difficulty</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Every instrument comes with its unique technical challenges. It's essential to work on your technique to produce the desired sound. To overcome this challenge, invest time in exercises and drills specifically designed to improve your instrument's technique. Seek guidance from a qualified teacher who can correct your posture, finger placement, and other instrument-specific techniques. Consistent, focused practice will help you conquer technical difficulties.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Learning an instrument is not a one-size-fits-all experience, which is why no matter how much free content is available on YouTube, it will never equal the experience of having one-to-one lessons with a teacher. In assessing a student’s goals, a SoundLife teacher will isolate the techniques required and assign specific exercises to achieve the desired results. If a student wants to learn Taylor Swift, they probably don’t need to shed a Harmonic Minor Scale all day and night, but they do need open position chords, chord transition and strumming exercises, and perhaps finger strengthening exercises. This will no doubt help the student reach their goal faster and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/testimonials" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Testimonials"><span style="color:#374151;">increase their confidence.</span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Boredom and Routine</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Practicing the same scales, exercises, and pieces can become monotonous over time. To overcome this challenge, keep your practice sessions interesting by incorporating a variety of music genres and styles. Experiment with different pieces, explore improvisation, or challenge yourself with new musical concepts. Joining a group or ensemble can also introduce variety into your practice routine and make learning more enjoyable.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">There is certainly no pressure like peer pressure. One of the unique things about SoundLife is the option to join a </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/band-coaching" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Band Coaching"><span style="color:#374151;">band, perform with session musicians, or bring in a band coach to your existing band</span></a><span style="color:#374151;">. These group environments help keep lessons fresh and practice top of mind. Being part of a group means constantly learning new material, refining old material, and putting everything you learn into action. For students who do not really want to be part of a group, we help find a way to instill a similar level of accountability each week in their lesson. This is done by sharing videos, playing along with teachers, songwriting and compositional exercises, and improvisational exercises. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/040e6139d787cf17803206f5cfa0544079c09a8f/original/screen-shot-2023-09-20-at-4-19-02-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Music Performance" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Performance Anxiety</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Many musicians face performance anxiety when playing in front of an audience. To overcome this challenge, practice performing regularly, even if it's just for friends or family. Gradually increase the size of your audience to build confidence. To manage anxiety, utilize relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and visualization. Remember that nervousness is a normal part of performing, and it can be channeled into energy and excitement.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Our </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases"><span style="color:#374151;">SoundLife </span><span style="color:hsl(240,75%,60%);"><u>Showcases</u></span></a><span style="color:#374151;"> are an excellent opportunity for students to work through and eventually conquer performance anxiety. Over time, this translates into confident public speaking, interviewing, and full expression within social situations. Our Showcases are broken down into three segments that address students in different phases of their learning. The first segment is reserved for solo performers and comes off as more of a traditional recital. The second segment features our unique all-star house band experience. In this segment, students can sign up to perform anything they want with a band of professional Los Angeles session musicians. The final segment features bands composed of students. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">Learning to play a musical instrument is a journey filled with challenges, but the rewards are well worth the effort. By cultivating patience, time management skills, and a positive mindset, you can overcome the hurdles that come your way. Seek support from teachers, mentors, and fellow musicians, and remember that perseverance is key to musical success. Embrace the challenges as opportunities for growth, and you'll find yourself progressing steadily toward becoming a skilled and confident musician.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#374151;">If you are interested in becoming a member of the SoundLife family, we encourage you to </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/request-info" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Request Info"><span style="color:#374151;">sign up for a free trial lesson</span></a><span style="color:#374151;">. We'll work to find the perfect instructor for your goals and needs, and we'll help fast-track you to success. </span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72664292023-08-31T13:39:48-07:002023-09-04T20:57:45-07:00Student of the Month: Eden<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Congratulations to Eden on being selected as our September Student of the Month!</strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/050743a889668b086fd15c671595515bf84fcd1e/original/img-9985.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">Eden joined the SoundLife family in November of 2022 as a vocal student with expert instructor Andy Hill. At the time, Eden had already performed in her first musical, but she came in with the desire to improve and gain control over her voice. Goal setting is a cornerstone of our teaching philosophy at SoundLife. All students are constantly setting, realizing, and creating new goals for themselves with their instructor. But it's even more special when a student comes in with a specific goal, such as Eden did. From the very first lesson, Andy made a point to share how talented and driven she was. This internal spark only grew over time. With each company meeting, as we review students’ goals and their work, Andy cited Eden’s immense progress and increased confidence.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">Currently, Eden is learning to sing harmonies in a Broadway-style chorus, which is a difficult skill in terms of vocal awareness, control, pitch, phrasing, and blending. She is also preparing to be Wednesday in her school’s upcoming production of <i>The Addams Family</i>. And, as a big fan of pop artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Eden continues to work on her favorite songs, such as her current selection, “Vampire.” </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">Each month, all SoundLife instructors have the opportunity to nominate one of their students to be Student of the Month. Andy not only nominated Eden but went a step further to say, “</span><span style="color:#222222;">She shows great enthusiasm toward her learning, as well as a desire to expand her musical abilities across both the Broadway and pop mediums.” The phrase that sticks out the most is “the desire to expand her musical abilities.” That quality alone makes for the best kind of student, poised for success. We’re honored to have Eden as part of our SoundLife family and look forward to seeing what she does next. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b749bbef3fd00ca777e8afc533c8f1baafd89e40/original/img-9979.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Eden! </strong></p><p><span style="color:#313131;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc.? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">I really like being able to learn how to sing properly and to express myself through music.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong> </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">I really want to be able to pursue theater, especially at school, and being able to sing is definitely an important part of that. I also randomly sing sometimes, and I would like to not hurt my family's eardrums with an untrained singing voice.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#313131;">I love Olivia Rodrigo because her voice has an amazing range. She has also achieved so much at an incredibly young age, which is definitely an inspiration to me.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72624702023-08-24T11:22:50-07:002023-09-04T20:57:28-07:00Unlock Your Musical Potential: Finding the Best Music Schools for Guitar Lessons in Los Angeles<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/4eb11cc6ff155bdfa6a4f06fef71065f67e08762/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0021.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons In Los Angeles" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Los Angeles, a city renowned for its vibrant music scene, is a hub of creativity and talent. If you're a guitar enthusiast or aspiring musician in the City of Angels, you may be searching for the best music schools to embark on your guitar journey. With a multitude of options available, it's essential to find a music school that aligns with your goals, offers quality instruction, and provides an environment conducive to learning. In this blog post, we'll explore some key factors to consider when seeking out the best music schools for </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/guitar-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons"><span style="color:#000000;">guitar lessons in Los Angeles</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>1. Reputation and Experience</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">When selecting a music school for guitar lessons, it's important to consider its reputation and experience. Look for schools that have a </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/testimonials" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;">track record of excellence</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> and a strong reputation in the local music community. Research the </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/about-us" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="About Us"><span style="color:#000000;">school's history</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, read reviews and testimonials from current or past students, and explore their accomplishments and affiliations. A well-established music school with experienced instructors is more likely to provide high-quality education and a wealth of resources to enhance your guitar learning experience. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">At </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, you will find 5-star reviews on Yelp, Google, and Facebook, as well as student and parent testimonials on our website. As an in-home music school, we create community through </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases"><span style="color:#000000;">annual performances</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/band-coaching" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Band Coaching"><span style="color:#000000;">opportunities</span></a><a data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Band Coaching"><span style="color:#000000;"> to play in bands</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/partners" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Partners"><span style="color:#000000;">charity events</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> held throughout the year. Our students have written and recorded music, taken the stage, and some have even gone on to be professionals in the music industry. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>2. Qualified Instructors</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The quality of the instructors is paramount when choosing a music school for guitar lessons. Skilled and knowledgeable instructors can significantly impact your progress and overall learning experience. Research the credentials, qualifications, and expertise of the instructors at the music schools you are considering. Check if they have relevant degrees, professional performance experience, or teaching certifications. Additionally, consider their teaching style and approach to ensure they align with your learning preferences and goals.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife instructors have studied at the top music institutions in the world, including </span><a class="no-pjax" href="www.berklee.edu" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;">Berklee College of Music</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, Thornton School of Music, Musician’s Institute, and more. Beyond their college education, SoundLife instructors receive continued training to ensure they are the most effective, supportive mentors for each of their students. And as we know, education isn’t everything. SoundLife instructors practice what they preach. They are touring, recording, writing, and studio professionals.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b98f228ebdca401744db413ef9233c92fed9b8cc/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0019.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons In Los Angeles" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>3. Curriculum and Lesson Structure</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Guitar lessons should offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers various aspects of playing the instrument, including music theory, technique, sight-reading, improvisation, and repertoire. Evaluate the music schools' curriculum and ensure that it matches your desired learning path. A well-structured curriculum will guide your progression and provide a solid foundation for your musical growth. Additionally, inquire about any supplementary resources or extracurricular activities offered, such as ensemble opportunities, recitals, or workshops, which can enrich your learning experience.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The SoundLife curriculum is built around each individual student’s goals, which are heard and mapped out from the very first lesson. Instructors and staff then take these goals and chart a course toward them. With opportunities such as Showcases, Band Coaching, Recording, and Songwriting, anything and everything is possible. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>4. Facilities and Resources</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Consider the facilities and resources available at the music school. A conducive learning environment can greatly enhance your guitar lessons. Visit the school if possible or explore their website to gather information about the practice rooms, performance spaces, and equipment they provide. Access to well-maintained instruments, recording facilities, and music libraries can contribute to a more enriching and immersive learning experience.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">As an in-home school, SoundLife relies on partnerships with engineers, recording studios, rehearsal spaces, and venues to provide the necessary resources for our incredible students. We use the top facilities in Los Angeles.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b0ed86af85f4463d9a2b803d029260542749029e/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0018.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p><h4 dir="ltr"> </h4><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>5. Student Success and Alumni Network</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Inquire about the success stories of students who have graduated from the music schools you are considering. Look for evidence of their achievements, such as successful careers in the music industry, notable performances, or awards won. A strong alumni network can indicate the effectiveness of the school's programs and the support they offer to students beyond their time at the institution.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">We refer to our community as the </span><a class="no-pjax" href="www.instagram.com/soundlifelessons" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife Family</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, and we treat our team members, students, parents, and alumni as such. Our alumni have gone on to have successful careers both in and outside of music. They are always accessible to share their stories with younger students, as we are always there to support them. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Choosing the best music school for guitar lessons in Los Angeles requires careful consideration of several factors. Reputation, qualified instructors, a comprehensive curriculum, top-notch facilities, and a strong alumni network are all essential components to evaluate. By selecting a music school that aligns with your goals, offers quality instruction, and provides a supportive learning environment, you can embark on a guitar journey that will unlock your musical potential. So, take your time, research your options, and make an informed decision to find the perfect music school that will inspire and nurture your guitar-playing skills in the bustling city of Los Angeles.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72449242023-07-20T14:13:00-07:002023-08-24T11:13:25-07:00Student of the Month: Harrison<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Congratulations to Harrison on being selected as our August Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/62eb7e3e1c31d01ab3e360db43131fd567b3ec09/original/lgallegos-soundlife-6-23-finals-0014.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons In Los Angeles" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Since joining the SoundLife family as a guitar student in March of 2022, Harrison has displayed consistent growth, courage, and determination. According to his teacher, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6883422/teacher-feature-a-musical-wizard-samuel-ruff" data-link-type="url" target="_blank"><span style="color:hsl(240, 75%, 60%);"><u>Sam</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;">, he is aspiring to be the next George Harrison, and with goals like that, we can’t help but cheer him on. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">In December of 2022, Harrison took the Showcase stage for the very first time, performing the iconic “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor from the movie <i>Rocky III</i>. If you know this song, then you know how fun the intro is, the montage from the movie, and the inspiring triumphant feeling of every chorus. Nervous but focused, Harrison drew the audience in and held them captive until the very end. With this song, Harrison showcased his focus, sense of rhythm, awareness of song form, and courage on stage.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">We love seeing performers continually challenge themselves, and for his second Showcase performance, Harrison did just that. On<span data-rich-links='{"dat_df":{"fres_frt":1,"dfie_ts":{"tv":{"tv_s":1685793600,"tv_n":0}},"dfie_l":"en","dfie_p":{"fres_frt":0,"tres_tv":"MMM d, y"},"dfie_dt":"Jun 3, 2023","dfie_pt":3,"dfie_tpt":0,"dfie_tzi":""},"type":"date"}'> Jun 3, 2023</span>, armed with a new electric pickup for his guitar, this young rock star put on a roaring performance of “Day Tripper” by The Beatles. Sam said, “He worked on that song piece by piece until he got the whole thing. Then, beginning at a very slow tempo, he began to work up the speed and accuracy.” With this piece, Harrison showcased command over a difficult guitar riff, open chord changes, and a level of comfort on the stage.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">After his Showcase performance, Harrison received a big anthology book containing sheet music for the entire Beatles discography. Lately, he has been working on “Glass Onion,” discovering lots of seventh chords and colorful new chord shapes to paint with. With the band's entire discography at his fingertips, the sky's the limit for Harrison's musical potential.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/c662f4d958a205fee7ebe8f488f63278bb22fb95/original/lgallegos-soundlife-6-23-finals-0019.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Harrison! </strong></p><p dir="ltr" aria-level="1"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr" aria-level="1"><span style="color:#222222;">I like that I get to learn new things and that I get to choose what song I get to play. Now that I'm getting more and more into guitar, it makes me want to practice more and even practice before I do homework.</span><br><br><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr" aria-level="1"><span style="color:#222222;">My ultimate goal is to get better to the point where I can play any song without trouble and be able to play with other people.</span><br><br><strong> </strong><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr" aria-level="1"><span style="color:#222222;">The Beatles because they make really good music and they're really inspirational.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72438372023-07-18T16:29:47-07:002023-08-24T11:13:25-07:00Discover the Wonderful Benefits of In-Home Guitar Lessons in Los Angeles<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/6ff31cec-2d8e-4877-b864-8f788bd803f3/jakayla-toney-66xudbdqzuu-unsplash.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons in Los Angeles" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The City of Angels, Los Angeles, is known for its vibrant music scene and rich cultural heritage. It's no surprise that so many aspiring musicians and guitar enthusiasts flock to this city to pursue their dreams. That's how I found myself drawn to this magical city nearly twenty years ago. If you've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar or improve your existing skills, you might be wondering what the best approach is. How do you get started? One increasingly popular option is </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/guitar-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons"><span style="color:#000000;">in-home guitar lessons</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">. In this blog post, we'll explore the numerous benefits of having a guitar instructor come to your home in Los Angeles and why we believe </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> takes this approach to a whole new level.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>1. Convenience and Comfort</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">One of the primary advantages of in-home guitar lessons is the unparalleled convenience it offers. Learning to play an instrument can be time-consuming, and commuting to a music school or studio can add unnecessary stress to your already busy schedule, especially when you add in Los Angeles traffic. If you are a parent with a child who wants to learn an instrument, then juggling another activity that involves being somewhere at a specific time on top of school and extracurricular activities can be easily overwhelming. By opting for in-home guitar lessons, you eliminate the need to travel and can learn from the comfort of your own home. This convenience factor allows for better time management and a more relaxed learning environment. At SoundLife, we understand the busy schedules of our students and work with them. We are not in competition with sports and other extracurricular activities but, instead, aim to help create a balanced offering that meets students where they are. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>2. Personalized Attention and Customized Lessons</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">In-home guitar lessons provide a unique opportunity for personalized attention and tailored instruction. Unlike group classes, where the curriculum might be generalized to accommodate multiple students, private in-home lessons allow the instructor to focus solely on your specific needs and goals. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate player, the instructor can customize the lessons to match your skill level, musical preferences, and learning style. This personalized approach ensures faster progress and a more enjoyable learning experience. Going one step further, SoundLife students have access to their own student app, which stores all of their assignments, each custom-created just for them. At any time, at home or on the go, they can access their current and past practice assignments, connect with their teacher, and manage their schedule. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>3. Flexibility and Scheduling</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Life in Los Angeles can be fast-paced and demanding, making it crucial to have flexibility in your guitar lesson schedule. In-home guitar lessons offer precisely that. You can work with your instructor to find a time that suits you best, whether it's early morning, late evening, or even weekends. This flexibility allows you to balance your other commitments, such as work or school, without compromising your musical journey. Additionally, in-home lessons eliminate the need to adhere to rigid class schedules, giving you more control over your learning experience.</span></p><p dir="ltr">It is with this in mind that we eliminated the “middle man.” Students or parents of students do not have to contact the school to request schedule changes. Instead, they can connect directly with their teacher to make adjustments to their schedule.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/5730f605-137d-4681-9d6f-fcfead0cb104/maksim-istomin-m-kgm2xfx2c-unsplash.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons in Los Angeles" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>4. Familiarity with Your Instrument and Environment</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">By having guitar lessons at home, you learn to play in a familiar setting, surrounded by the instrument and equipment you use regularly. This familiarity helps you feel more comfortable and relaxed, allowing for better concentration and focus. Furthermore, your instructor can provide guidance specific to your instrument, ensuring that you make the most of your own equipment. They can help you optimize your setup, recommend accessories, and provide insights into maintenance and care.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Over the years teachers have changed guitar strings, dialed in pedals and pedal boards, nailed down amp tones, and even performed guitar set-ups for their students. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>5. Enhanced Learning Motivation</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Learning a new skill requires dedication and motivation, which can sometimes waver over time. However, with in-home guitar lessons, the presence of a dedicated instructor in your personal space serves as a constant source of motivation and accountability. Your instructor can encourage and challenge you, helping you stay on track and achieve your musical goals. Additionally, the one-on-one interaction fosters a strong student-teacher relationship, creating a supportive and inspiring learning environment.</span></p><p dir="ltr">Over time your teacher becomes a mentor, guiding you through your musical journey. As a mentor, your teacher connects with your personal goals and helps create a path to achieve them one by one. </p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">In-home guitar lessons offer numerous benefits for aspiring guitarists in Los Angeles. The convenience, comfort, personalized attention, flexible scheduling, and familiar environment make this learning method an excellent choice for those looking to develop their guitar skills in a way that suits their lifestyle. Whether you're a beginner eager to strum your first chords or an experienced player aiming to refine your technique, in-home guitar lessons can provide the guidance and motivation you need to progress on your musical journey. So why not bring the magic of music into your home and start your </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/request-info" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Request Info"><span style="color:#000000;">guitar lessons today</span></a><a data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Request Info"><span style="color:#000000;">!</span></a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/98a406ed-7206-45f9-a48f-3f4b9c40f9a5/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-7120421.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="In-Home Guitar Lessons in Los Angeles" /><span style="color:rgb(18,18,18);"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(18,18,18);">Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72278902023-07-02T22:56:24-07:002023-07-18T16:06:46-07:00Student of the Month: Julian<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Congratulations to Julian on being selected as our July Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/261f87a32d2e20fd7be38d018f0f55fbb7833acd/original/resized-20230603-143352.jpeg/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Julian began guitar lessons with our co-founder Chris over a decade ago when </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home"><span style="color:hsl(240, 75%, 60%);"><u>SoundLife</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> was in its infancy. At the time, Chris’s wife Kristen was working for a YouTube show that was seeking out candidates to receive a care package that would include a full beauty makeover using makeup products provided by their sponsor. The winner was Julian’s mother, Colleen, and included with her care package came—you guessed it—a music lesson for each of her boys. The lessons took place in a rented space and were filmed for the episode of the show centered around Colleen. Julian was just eight or nine years old. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">At the time, the family was grieving the loss of Julian’s father, Orlando Sims, who passed away on February 21, 2014, after a decade-long battle with cancer. Orlando was the bassist for the band Chalk Farm and a well-respected musician in the music community. Music was in the DNA of the entire family. After that first lesson, some time passed, and Chris received a new student referral from his mentor </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.instagram.com/aaronmclain/?hl=en" data-link-type="url" target="_blank"><span style="color:hsl(240, 75%, 60%);"><u>Aaron McLain</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, music director for the band Air Supply and a close friend of Julian's father. Without knowing it, Colleen and Chris were connected once again, this time through SoundLife. Both Julian and his brother started lessons, sticking with it for years.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">For a long time, Julian was shy and reserved, which was expected considering the circumstances. However, as time passed, Julian began to express himself more and more. Chris’s main goal was to give Julian as many outlets as possible for him to express himself. This took the form of guitar, writing, singing, and producing at different times. To say Julian just played guitar over the last eight to nine years would be inaccurate. For one of his early Showcase performances, Julian shared an instrumental original song created in Garage Band. For another, he performed along to anime music, and then for another, he played and sang with a band. Each time, Julian opened up a little bit more. Within the last three years, he really began to express himself with his fashion and interests, becoming much more self-reliant, mature, and vocal about his goals. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">At the time of writing this, Julian is 18, a high school graduate, and off to the next chapter in life. For his final Showcase performance, Julian took the ultimate step. He performed both with a band and his own original, all by himself. This was purely his own doing. Julian took the initiative to declare what he wanted, then did the work. Leading up to the show, he shared his lyrics and chords, eventually singing the parts and then finally putting it all together. While we cannot begin to imagine how tough it must have been to lose a parent at such a young age, we believe his father would be proud of the young man Julian has become and that music is part of him. We know how proud his mother is. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Julian is a tenacious fighter with a beautiful spirit and a wide-open future. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Julian and his family and thankful that he let us be part of his journey. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b98f228ebdca401744db413ef9233c92fed9b8cc/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0019.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72277792023-07-02T22:52:22-07:002023-07-02T22:52:23-07:00Showcase XX: Concert Summary <p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">“Stars don’t shine because they want to be seen. They shine because they are stars.” –Gaelle</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">When we endeavored to bring our in-home students together for the very first SoundLife </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/showcases" data-link-type="url" target="_blank"><span style="color:hsl(240, 75%, 60%);"><u>Showcase</u></span></a><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" data-link-type="page" target="_blank"><span style="color:#373a36;">,</span></a><span style="color:#373a36;"> it was with the same heart and passion as number Twenty. I remember the fire and the certainty that what we were attempting to do needed to happen. I can pinpoint the moment, the road I was driving on, and the time of day that I pulled my car over to the side and sat in contemplation with the concept for bringing in-home students together in performance. Little did I know it would take years of ideation and iteration to get here, to realize that initial goal in its true form. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">As many know, we started in a backyard with under a dozen performers—no groups and no bands—but simple as it was, the impact was there from the start. Seeing young performers step to the mic for the very first time, conquering fears and confidently sharing their skills, it was evident from day one. Now, nine years later, that fire continues to burn, stronger than ever. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">On<span data-rich-links='{"dat_df":{"fres_frt":1,"dfie_ts":{"tv":{"tv_s":1685793600,"tv_n":0}},"dfie_l":"en","dfie_p":{"fres_frt":0,"tres_tv":"MMM d, y"},"dfie_dt":"Jun 3, 2023","dfie_pt":3,"dfie_tpt":0},"type":"date"}'> Jun 3, 2023, </span>at El Cid in Silver Lake, over forty performers shared their hard work in front of a packed audience. From solo performances to bands, All-Star House Band performances to recorded works, over four hours of music were showcased in total. With each Showcase, we continue to implement new ideas that reflect the work that performers are engaged in week after week in their lessons, and for this concert, we decided to include recorded works for the first time. Why? Because for the first time in SoundLife’s history, we have multiple students, bands, and alumni with music either already released on streaming platforms or on the verge of being released. For some of our students, this music thing is very real, and there is nothing we love more than supporting and celebrating their artistry with the SoundLife family in a high-fidelity environment. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">One thing we’ve learned from previous Showcases is that while some performers are willing to go first, no one really wants to. With that in mind, we decided to have our All-Star House Band kick off the afternoon with a performance of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by the legendary Stevie Wonder. This proved to be a hit with both the audience and performers, and it ensured no performers would have been the first to take the stage. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/33e0d294e964cab9bcb51050dc9ca2421bddfe00/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0001.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Harrison Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Following the full band kick-off, Stella Cohl (piano) took the stage for a little Mozart. She performed a beautiful rendition of “Rondo Alla Turca” with grace and confidence. Stella is a longtime member of the SoundLife family, and she approached the stage with a smile, both comfortable and at ease. Stella was followed by Harrison (guitar), who took the Showcase stage for only the second time. For his first performance, Harrison put a mic on his acoustic guitar while he played “Eye of the Tiger.” This time around, Harrison came armed with a pickup for his guitar so we could hear him loud and clear for an amazing performance of “Day Tripper” by The Beatles.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b46b64b0596b0cebdd4489ae97884b646178d5c6/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0002.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Zoe Voice Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Zoe (vocals) took the stage next for a jaw-dropping performance of “Roar” by Katie Perry. She had the audience in the palm of her hand as she belted out those choruses. Violet (drums) stepped to the stage after Zoe for her second time, and she performed a passionate rendition of “Ex’s and Oh’s” by Elle King, showing immense growth from her previous performance. She was followed by her sister Emelia (vocals), who took the Showcase stage for the very first time. Emelia performed “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and proved to be quite the performer, adding in choreography and endless attitude. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/89bea6437dc434afb7affa40961f269a278b8273/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0004.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Emelia Voice Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">From one pair of sisters to the next, Ava (piano) and Rosie (piano) followed. Ava played through an entire instrumental arrangement of the classic Bill Withers anthem “Lean On Me,” which was followed by Rosie’s performance of “500-Year-Old Melody.” One of the most exciting parts of each Showcase is watching students perform a piece clearly chosen for them by their instructor and then having them come up to us and share their enthusiasm for what they want to do next. This is part of the process—helping young performers find their identity in their instrument. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Finishing off the first part of our showcase was Lenna (piano), who performed “Fur Elise” by Beethoven in its entirety. This was a piece she worked on for many months, diligently picking away at it part by part, determined to perform it at the concert. She was amazing. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/24e5643e3743aba30e82fdc9de67b333a59709b3/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0005.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Felix Guitar and Voice" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">As we shifted from solo performers to our All-Star House Band, the next segment was kicked off by one last solo performance from Felix (guitar/vocals), who also happened to be doing a song with the house band. Felix left the audience speechless with his instrumental performance of an arrangement of The Beatles' classics “Day Tripper” and “Lady Madonna” by the legendary guitarist Tommy Emmanuel. This was immediately followed by Felix’s vocal debut as he stepped to the mic with guitar in hand for a full-band performance of “For No One,” also by the Beatles. Again, he was fantastic, demonstrating immeasurable courage in the face of fear. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/4bb49229cf508fd3c21e8f8da1b229c4102a26ed/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0006.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Kamayo Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Next up, Kamayo (guitar) took the stage for his second Showcase performance. This time around, he upped the bar by becoming the first student to perform “Stairway to Heaven'' in its entirety. From top to bottom, Kamayo nailed every part, every solo, and every riff. What better way to follow a classic than with more classics? Ozzy (piano) stepped in with the house band on keys for a two-song set of “Amber” by 311 and “Beat It” by Michael Jackson. For both songs, Ozzy had his own program synth patches to match the record. His performance brought the crowd to their feet. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/2eb9953ce2dff81e552aec8c83699ac559011795/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0009.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Elias Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Nicholas Hall (drums) took the stage next for his very first Showcase performance. This was a huge success as Nicholas grooved his way through “Buddy Holly” by Weezer with the house band. The smile on his face, followed by the fist bump at the end, were our favorite parts. Up next was Elias (guitar), channeling the energy and spirit of the great Jimi Hendrix with a spot-on performance of “Purple Haze.” This song is so iconic, and we’re confident the guitar gods were smiling down.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/305e45c5b479e308f22342a09ad548aa5b626494/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0011.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Pepper Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">How do you follow Hendrix? With more Weezer, that’s how! Pepper (guitar) took the stage for a two-song set, including “Where’s My Mind” by The Pixies and “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer. She nailed all of the lead guitar parts and demonstrated tremendous growth between concerts. Pepper was followed by SoundLife veteran and legend of the El Cid stage, Guy (drums/guitar), who took center stage. First, behind the drum kit, Guy became the first student to bring a double kick drum pedal to perform Metallica’s newest single, “Lux Aeterna.” The audience went into a frenzy as soon as the song began and stayed on their feet throughout, only to have the energy kicked up another notch when Guy switched over from drums to guitar. On the guitar, Guy kicked into “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry, doing all of the guitar solos and even trading solos with our co-founder and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/about-us" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="About Us"><span style="color:#373a36;">Program Director, Chris</span></a><span style="color:#373a36;">. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b0ed86af85f4463d9a2b803d029260542749029e/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0018.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Nate Guitar" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">The energy in the room, already at an all-time high, continued to build as Nate (guitar) took the stage to pay homage to the legend that is Jimmy Page with his rendition of “Heartbreaker” by Led Zeppelin. This song is no easy feat, as it includes an open guitar breakdown that is historic in the guitar world. After months of hard work, Nate nailed it! </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">We finished off our All-Star House Band segment with a dual performance of “Enter Sandman” by Metallica featuring longtime SoundLifer Julian (guitar/vocals) and first-time performer Olivia (drums). Both performers did an incredible job tackling this iconic piece of music history. Julian then stepped up to the mic for the very first time to sing an original song called “Mirror, Mirror.” This marked Julian’s last Showcase performance as he moves on to college in the fall. We are so grateful to have had him in our SoundLife family for over a decade. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/c29be760765aa0e79cd83adc1200f6cfdb1bf00b/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0020.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Sarah Songwriting Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">While transitioning out of our house band, we kicked off our pre-recorded works with “Tumbling Down”— written, recorded, and performed by Naomi (piano/vocals) at home on GarageBand. This was followed by Jacob Dobkin, a.k.a Stryde, debuting an as-yet-untitled new beat and rap. This was Stryde’s third time taking the stage, and with each one, he gets more comfortable on the mic and moving around the stage. The production on his beats also showcases notable improvements. Jacob was followed by Sarah (piano/vocals), who performed a heartbreaking original composition called “Temptation.” The most impressive part of her performance was her level of comfort when she told the story behind her song. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/4eb11cc6ff155bdfa6a4f06fef71065f67e08762/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0021.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="James Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">SoundLife legends and siblings Cormac (piano) and Laurel (piano/vocals) followed. This marks their tenth Showcase appearance. Cormac breezed through “Fly’s Adventure,” showcasing continued improvement in his technique on the piano. After this song, his sister stepped up for a moving rendition of “Take Me to Church” by Hozier. This dark, brooding mid-tempo masterpiece was given new life and meaning through Laurel’s voice. Rounding out this segment of the show was James (guitar), an advanced student who previously took on classic 80s Metallica. This time around, James showcased all of his hard work in learning a song called “G.O.A.T” by Polyphia. For those who are not familiar, this is an instrumental guitar band known for incredibly difficult songs. James, of course, left the audience breathless.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/6c484c99eaae397be0bc7048f815b6c99ac34008/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0022.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Feedback Band Coaching" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Transitioning to the final segment of the show, it was time for the bands to take the stage. First up was GRB, a relatively new band taking the stage for only the second time. GRB features Zeke (guitar/vocals), Nathan (guitar/vocals), and Jimmy (bass). On drums, their band coach </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6883422/teacher-feature-a-musical-wizard-samuel-ruff" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#373a36;">Sam</span></a><span style="color:#373a36;"> took turns with Zeke’s father, Tony. The band blazed through an incredible 20-minute set. Highlights were “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Upon finishing, we moved to our pre-recorded work, a new single from Natalie (guitar/vocals) called “Panorama.” This radio-ready track was written by Natalie and produced by our very own </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/enrique-lara" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#373a36;">Enrique Lara</span></a><span style="color:#373a36;">. It clearly moved the audience as they applauded when the track faded to introduce the next band. Once settled with all their equipment, Feedback took the stage for a blistering power-packed set. This incredible group consists of veterans of the Showcase stage. Featuring Laurel (bass /vocals), Cormac (guitar/vocals), Dylan (lead guitar), and Guy (drums/vocals), they are a force to be reckoned with. Their set displayed so much fire, energy, and confidence, it was amazing to see them reach this level they have worked so hard for.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/70636c663f53ccf45c9649acfadcdf6d7096c3aa/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0023.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Ario Guitar Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Next, we squeezed in two solo performances and one more pre-recorded piece. First up was Ario (guitar), a first-time performer who took the stage in style for an amazing rendition of “Rumble” by Link Wray. This was followed by </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6500932/student-artist-profile-never-too-late" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#373a36;">Matthew</span></a><span style="color:#373a36;"> (guitar), an adult student and father of Feedback guitarist, Dylan. Matthew has been learning to sing, write, and play, recently going to open mics for the first time in his life. He did a fantastic two-song set of his originals. While setting the stage for our final band, we showcased the final pre-recorded work of the afternoon, a track off the new EP from The Orpheus Project called “Odysseus.” This EP was written by the band with the help of their coaches and recorded by </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.ruff-records.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#373a36;">Sam at his studio</span></a><span style="color:#373a36;"> in North Hollywood. This project took six months to complete and turned out better than we ever could<span> </span>have imagined. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/bedfa5c167a5df557a6b5291f955646ef5bfca2d/original/lgallegos-soundlife-june3-highlights-0025.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Sunday Band Coaching" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Closing out the show, the headliner, back for their second Showcase performance…Sunday! Featuring Eden (vocals), Sophia (bass), Nathan (guitar/vocals), Elias (guitar), and Carter (drums), Sunday is a dedicated band of extremely talented young stars. They kicked off the set with a medley of songs perfectly arranged with transitions, tempo changes, and hits that were on the same level as major touring acts. Their set did a wonderful job balancing everyone’s interests and leaning on each individual's strengths. For their final song, the band chose “Crazy On You” by Heart, which, if you know the song, is not an easy feat. Yet Eden belted out those notes with all her heart and brought the crowd to a ferocious roar. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Thank you to all of the performers, parents, families, friends, fans, and staff for making Showcase XX unforgettable. </span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;"><strong><u>SoundLife Team</u></strong> </span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Chris Vazquez – MC/Music Director</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Kristen Vazquez – Greeter</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Michael Torres – FOH Presence</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Dogan Eyeler – Stage Assistant</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Hugo Vera – Audio Engineer</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;"><span> </span>James McCutchen – Videography</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;"><span> </span>Lexus Gallegos – Photography</span></p><p> </p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;"><strong><u>All-Star House Band</u></strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Alex Nester – Vocals/Keys </span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Christa Haxthausen – Vocals</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Justin Resnick – Vocals</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Chris Vazquez – Guitar</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Michael Torres – Bass</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Enrique Lara – Drums</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#373a36;">Dogen Eyeler – Drums</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><br><strong><u>Instructors</u></strong><br><br><span>Anna Mezentseva – Voice/Piano/Songwriting</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Lorenzo Taddei – Guitar/Bass/Band Coaching</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Eric Potapenko – Guitar/Bass/Production/Songwriting</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Christa Haxthausen – Voice/Piano </span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Andy Hill – Bass/Guitar/Piano/Voice</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Mark Berghard – Guitar/Voice/Songwriting/Piano/Band Coaching</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Sam Rough – Drums/Production/Songwriting/Guitar/Band Coaching</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Ray Warth – Guitar/Bass/Voice/Songwriting/Band Coaching </span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Blake Estrada – Bass/Guitar/Band Coaching</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Emily Persich – Piano/Voice</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Gabe Schwartz – Drums/Production</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Caleb Gaha – Drums</span></p><p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span>Rosh Roslin – Guitar/Production</span></p><hr><p><span style="color:rgb(18,18,18);"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72196862023-06-02T13:34:46-07:002023-07-02T22:45:03-07:00Student of the Month: Jacob, aka Stryde<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Congratulations to Jacob, aka Stryde, on being selected as our June Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/446ee6202e85709b2b5db0665b46efc7a27f149b/original/lgallegos-soundlife-event-12-10-22-0074.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Young MC" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">In March of 2022, Jacob Dobkin joined the SoundLife family as one of our first pure production students. We knew that production would be a vital skill for all musicians in years to come. In 2020 we reshaped our offerings to incorporate</span><a class="no-pjax" href="/recording-program" target="_blank" data-link-type="page"><span style="color:#000000;"> <u>home recording</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Songwriting Program"><span style="color:#000000;"><u>songwriting</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, and work in various different </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6300502/my-affordable-home-studio-adventure-for-students-parents-professional-musicians" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;"><u>DAWS</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> (Digital Audio Workstations) such as Logic, Pro Tools, and Ableton. A whole generation of students, empowered by what they can do on their laptops without learning a traditional instrument, connected with music in a deep way throughout the pandemic. When Jacob began lessons with his instructor, Eric, he was already writing and recording on his own. He just needed guidance. With Eric’s help, Jacob began carving out his own identity as a beatmaker, rapper, and artist. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">In Eric’s words, “</span><span style="color:#222222;">Jacob is constantly growing as an artist/producer. Gradually learning production/mixing tips in Logic while also working on new material. He has a vision for his music, but is always willing to listen and try other ideas suggested to him.” This combination of vision and a willingness to learn is a recipe for success. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">In June of 2022, just a few months after beginning lessons, Jacob signed up to perform at Showcase XVIII. This would serve not only as the first time for Jacob on stage as an artist but also as the first time SoundLife has showcased an MC. In preparation, Jacob came to our All-Star House Band rehearsal, and he listened to everyone else before stepping up on stage to perform his piece. It was at this moment that we first saw Stryde, Jacob’s alter-ego and stage persona. His beat was unique, completely created by him, and his rap was blistering, articulate, and thought-provoking. Everyone with their guitars and basses just turned their heads. “What is this?” When he was done, we all gave him loud applause, which isn’t typical in a rehearsal, but we knew something special was happening.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Now, at the time of this writing, Jacob has three Showcases under his belt. With each one, he demonstrates more confidence in his artistry. His beats show maturity, along with his stage presence, and engagement with the audience. Jacob is well on his way to becoming a go-to voice as an artist and a producer, and we feel blessed to be a part of it.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/eb7be5572506838a8cb1d4c50ac59e69170dfdd3/original/lgallegos-soundlife-portraits-12-10-22-0023-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Production Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons and performing? </strong></span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">What I like most about taking music lessons and performing is I get to learn and I get experiences. I like creating because it’s my passion and I enjoy it.</span><br><br><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">My ultimate goal with music is to make a full-time career and make a name for myself in the space.</span><br><br><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">My favorite artists are JID and 21 Savage. Both of these artists inspire me and helped me shape my craft to what I do today.</span></p><p dir="ltr"> </p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Listen to Stryde…</span></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4RY5Zb9tNfhWRVjvlHeAOS?si=6M2dNzHkSaOql2M1qW1FZg" data-link-type="url">Spotify</a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://on.soundcloud.com/RwdEqV5KX29zLByp9" data-link-type="url">SoundCloud</a></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/72196482023-06-02T11:47:59-07:002023-06-08T13:53:01-07:00What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Singer<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">If you are reading this, the following article is the last in a series aimed to empower future musicians to change the musician’s story. Each article in the series begins with a classic disparaging joke about musicians, before jumping into a list of items curated by professional, Los Angeles-based session musicians to help young musicians know exactly “what to bring to the gig.” If you missed the previous articles, you can find them below.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7196685/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-keyboardist" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Keyboardist</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7161868/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-drummer" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Drummer</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7172764/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-bassist" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Bassist</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7146608/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-guitarist" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Guitarist</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Now, on with the show…</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/3b387aae62abc9a048e06f38c80159a8761ef075/original/screen-shot-2023-06-02-at-11-31-55-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Pro Singer" /></p><p dir="ltr"> </p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Saint Peter is checking in new arrivals in heaven…</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">He said to the first person in line, "What did you do on Earth?"</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">"I was a surgeon," said the man.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Saint Peter replied, "Well, go right on in through the Pearly Gates."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">"What did you do on Earth?" he asked the second person in line.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">"I was a school teacher."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">"Good … go right on in through the Pearly Gates!"</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">"What did you do on Earth?" he asked the third person in line.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">"I was a musician."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">“Great. You can load in through the kitchen.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Do you remember Rodney Dangerfield? His whole shtick was, “I get no respect!” He would say this and then proceed on to one joke after another, proving his point. At times, this is kind of how it actually feels to be a musician. From the outside, it’s very romantic and cool, but, the truth is, we are rarely pampered. The working musician is ultimately a highly trained and experienced service worker. Our service is entertainment. Our work ranges from sold-out tours to weddings, cocktail parties to hotel lobbies, and big studio sessions to laptop sessions in tiny apartments. Being a successful musician means checking your ego at the door, because one day, everyone is staring at you and telling you how incredible you are, and on that very same day, you could go to another gig where no one even knows you are there. Altogether, it is beautiful, fulfilling, challenging, freeing, and a heck of a lot of fun, but getting the mindset right—that takes time, and not everyone gets it.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Today we are shifting our attention to one of the most important roles in the band: the singer. When talking about musicians, sometimes the singer gets left out, but this is a capital-level crime. Singers are very much musicians in all of the same ways as a pianist, a guitarist, a bassist, or a drummer. Their instrument is their body, and learning how to use it takes the same, if not more, skill than all of the others. After all, we can always buy a new instrument, a better instrument, but we only get one voice. You may think, “What would a singer need to bring to a gig? Can’t they just show up?” Oh no, my friend. A professional singer does not just show up. As the face of a band, they carry the most weight, remembering lyrics, melodies, harmonies, and all of the tools that help them execute at the highest level. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Today’s list of “What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Singer'' was curated by multigenre vocalist and voiceover artist </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.jaymepalmer.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Jayme Palmer</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;">. Jayme is a monster talent, having performed as a backing vocalist for Engelbert Humperdinck, Jill Scott, and Matt Cermanski. Jayme’s voice can also be heard on hit television shows such as <i>Vanderpump Rules</i>, <i>The Flash</i>, and <i>Sleepy Hollow</i>. In addition to her work as a backing vocalist and in the studio, Jayme also fronts her own band, The Jayme Palmer Band, represented by </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.gbjazz.com/the-jp-band" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>GB Entertainment</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;">, which performs throughout the year for private events, weddings, and other special occasions. As a seasoned gigging musician, Jayme knows exactly what to bring to the gig.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/4f072ed056df4588d4ca85032ffd0815769f7140/original/screen-shot-2023-06-02-at-11-32-43-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Backing Vocalist" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Your “A” Game</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">This isn't a physical thing to bring to the gig, but it is the MOST important. Bringing your "A Game" means showing up early/on time, knowing your material/being completely prepared, interacting kindly and professionally with the other musicians/sound crew etc., wearing an outfit that fits the gig, paying attention to the gig details that are sent to you prior to the gig, and being ready to have a good time. You will be more relaxed and have more fun on the gig if you come in fully prepared.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Microphone & Cable</strong> </span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Always carry a mic and cable with you. Sometimes they will be provided, but you never want to end up in a situation where there is no mic!</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Mic Stand & Music Stand</strong> </span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Again, you never know if a mic stand or music stand will be provided for you. Always keep an extra mic clip in your gear bag as well—these break easily! If you use an iPad, always carry a charging cable and iPad stand adaptor with you. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Ear Plugs </strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Ear plugs always get a bad reputation because they aren't “cool,” but hearing damage is irreversible and luckily, there are a lot of singer-friendly and musician-friendly ear plugs on the market these days. If you are performing with a band that uses stage monitors and amps, instead of in-ear monitors, it is a great investment to get singers' ear plugs that are specifically molded to your ears.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Water Bottle </strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Always have a container filled with water! You never know if water bottles will be available at the gig. If you are playing in a restaurant or bar, chances are you will be able to fill up your water bottle on breaks.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Vocal Health Supplies </strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Being a singer can come with the perks of shorter load-in and load-out times, not having to fit gear in your car, etc., but singers also have the most constant upkeep to make sure their voices are in great working shape. Weather, allergies, getting over being sick, being tired, and more are all elements that can affect the quality of your vocal sound and the endurance you will have for a performance. A </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://myvocalmist.com/products/vocalmist-portable-nebulizer?selling_plan=763035731&variant=21256280539219" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>vocal nebulizer</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> with saline will help clear out some of the "gunk" that allergies can produce, as well as hydrate you more than water will. A </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://singingstraw.com/" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">vocal straw</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> can help bring down tension and strain on the vocal cords and serve as a gentle but powerful warm-up or warm-down. Sour candies or pastille lozenges can help keep your mouth and throat moist in dry conditions.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Vocal Rest </strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">This is the NUMBER ONE vocalist tip that gets extremely overlooked. Typically, concert venues, bars, and restaurants have a very loud atmosphere of people talking loudly over music. If you are on a set break, or waiting to perform, try your best to keep quiet so you do not wear out your voice by talking over the sound. When you finish a gig, instead of hopping on a phone call or continuing to speak loudly, just give yourself a little bit of time to cool down. You can always use your phone to text, or ask to step outside with a friend so you can speak at a normal volume.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">If you feel that your voice is tired, create pockets of time every hour where you do not speak or sing, to allow your voice to bounce back much quicker.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Comfortable Shoes</strong> </span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Sometimes load-in and load-out can be a long walk, over dirt, rocks, etc. And if you like to wear nice dress shoes or heels to a gig, it is always good to have a backup! If you arrive in comfy shoes that are black or nude and don't distract, you might actually get away with wearing the comfy shoes on the gig if the stage area isn't “heels friendly.” Keep a few bandaids in your bag in case you are breaking in new shoes as well!</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>A Jacket </strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">This might sound silly, but there are so many venues that crank up the air conditioning, and it is always better to have something to keep you comfortable and warm, also keeping your voice comfortable and warm.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/1e2b1d3d7f9813c90a9d91d24c319c776a77d92c/original/screen-shot-2023-06-02-at-11-33-24-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">We would like to thank Jayme for lending her time and sharing her experience with our community. SoundLife is about helping make music real, tangible, and achievable. Together, with the right attitude and professionalism, we can change the way the world views musicians. The next generation will write their own story. If we can make one vital suggestion, it would be to find a mentor or many mentors who have the experience you are after, then listen, learn, and repeat. If we could do it all over again with the experience we have now, we probably would have saved ourselves some heartache and headaches. Since time travel is not yet on the table, we aim our eyes forward and hope you, the dreamer, will help continue to change the musician’s story for the better.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Follow Jayme Palmer:</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Instagram </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.instagram.com/jaymepalmermusic/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>@jaymepalmermusic</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfrWzCHsRt4o4LWxcCyENUA" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>YouTube</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.jaymepalmer.com/home-1" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Website</u></span></a></p><hr><p><span style="color:rgb(18,18,18);"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71968722023-04-25T16:06:29-07:002023-05-16T14:01:40-07:00Student of the Month: Olivia<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Congratulations to Olivia on being selected as our May Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/393ffb72333d3d1233c17bc70bd2548bbbd3b3da/original/img-0770.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Drum Lessons" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Early in the morning on Saturday, December 10, 2022, Olivia entered </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.elcidsunset.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>El Cid on Sunset</u></a><span style="color:#000000;"> to experience her very first SoundLife </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/showcases" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>Showcase</u></a><span style="color:#000000;">. She was not there to perform, nor was she there to experience the show as only a member of the audience. No, Olivia went one step further. She offered to volunteer and help our team in any way she could, to learn through experience. Olivia arrived just after the equipment was all loaded in, a full hour before the doors opened. She went to the back to access the stage and joined </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/enrique-lara" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>Enrique</u></a><span style="color:#000000;">, who played drums in our All-Star House Band for that show. She watched as he set up his equipment and then as we conducted soundcheck. She watched us work through our checklist for the day and stepped in to help whenever asked. It was then that we all knew she would be a force to be reckoned with. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Olivia’s journey with SoundLife began not long before this Showcase in August of 2022 when she started taking private drum lessons with our instructor </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6883422/teacher-feature-a-musical-wizard-samuel-ruff" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>Sam</u></a><span style="color:#000000;">. Prior to that, Olivia took lessons at the Sunland Music Academy from the time she was 8 until her instructor moved away. Now, at age 13, having worked with Sam week after week over the course of six months, Olivia’s hard work and dedication are paying off.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">From the very first lesson, Sam has continually been impressed with Olivia's passion, drive, and work ethic. When asked about Olivia, Sam said, “</span><span style="color:#222222;">She eats drum independence exercises for breakfast. It is incredibly inspiring to see her tackle any drum challenge I throw at her, work through it, and grow beyond it.” </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">As we recognize and celebrate Olivia’s continued growth, she is preparing to return to our Showcase stage, this time as a performer in our All-Star House Band. Her song choice: “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. According to Sam, she is nailing every single signature fill and accent. We can't wait to see her head-banging away behind the kit on </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soundlife-showcase-xx-tickets-616714488637" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">June 3, 2023, for the 20th Showcase</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Thank you, Olivia, for sharing your passion with our community. You remind us all of our own passion for music and education through your example. We’ll see you on the stage!</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/d80d8012217cb0a610222a759e73154972d46af9/original/img-0773.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Drum Lessons" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc? </strong></span><br><span style="color:#222222;">Being able to learn everything I wasn't sure I would be able to before taking lessons. </span><br><br><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></span><br><span style="color:#222222;">To be able to learn anything by ear.</span><br><br><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span><br><span style="color:#222222;">Tommy Lee. I hope to be on his level of skill someday. </span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71966852023-04-25T11:57:51-07:002023-05-01T22:39:11-07:00What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Keyboardist<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#444340;">Are you really back for more? Okay, okay. Brace yourself…</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#444340;">How do you make a million dollars playing the piano? </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#444340;"><i>Start with two million.</i></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#444340;">Welcome back to our series focused on what professional musicians must remember to bring to a gig. More than preparation, these lists are about changing the musician’s story. If we can relay in 10 minutes what took us a decade or more to dial in—and the next generation takes heed—together, we can change the way people perceive music professionals. No longer will we have the image of the aloof, unreliable, unprepared loner struggling to get by. Can you imagine a parent one day saying, “When you grow up, you are going to get a good, respectable job—a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut, or maybe, if you are lucky enough, a musician." If you are laughing out loud right now, please calm yourself. This is serious business. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#444340;">So far, we have discussed what </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7146608/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-guitarist" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>guitarists</u></span></a><span style="color:#444340;">, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7172764/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-bassist" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>electric bassists</u></span></a><span style="color:#444340;">, and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7161868/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-drummer" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>drummers</u></span></a><span style="color:#444340;"> should bring to the gig. In each article, we compiled these lists from professional, working Los Angeles-based session musicians, and this article will be no different. Today we’re honored to share a list compiled by the incomparable </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.alexnester.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Alex Nester</u></span></a><span style="color:#444340;">. Some of our Soundlifers may recognize Alex from our SoundLife </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Showcases</u></span></a><span style="color:#444340;">, as she is often featured in our All-Star House Band. She is a powerhouse vocalist, funky keyboardist, singer-songwriter, artist, and gigging musician all wrapped into one. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">As a solo artist, Alex has opened up for Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, Rachel Platten, Evelyn “Champagne” King, and Dave Mason. Through the years, she has also worked on stage and in the studio with Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Fifth Dimension, Tito Jackson (of Jackson 5 fame), Tower of Power, and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, most recently touring as a guest artist with Carlos Santana. If that list isn’t enough, Alex is a full-fledged gigging musician working with numerous agencies performing for private and corporate events, weddings, and more. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">If you ever have a chance to see Alex perform live, you will not be disappointed. Check out her recommendations on “What to Bring to the Gig!”</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/3c91b17ed24bda53284b56deb59e43d2de9eccfc/original/screen-shot-2023-04-25-at-11-09-36-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Keyboard</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Kinda can’t play keys without it!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Stage4-88--nord-stage-4-88-stage-keyboard?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073569588245&lid=92700073569588245&ds_s_kwgid=58700008069260214&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1834680426857&product_id=Stage4-88&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9030968&creative=625135836142&targetid=pla-1834680426857&campaignid=18467073267&awsearchcpc=&gclid=CjwKCAjw9J2iBhBPEiwAErwpeVPZufMijjhiX4bD_1dAZCR2XscuEoGbja58ePkDnZo2evP_sDtBqxoCDwAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pdpredirect=true" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Nord Stage 4</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Keyboard Stand</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">You may be able to fashion a stand for your keyboard out of an unused table or some extra chairs (NOT speaking from experience, of course), but it’s really not the best look.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PKBX2--yamaha-pkbx2-by-style-keyboard-stand?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073384080333&lid=92700073384080333&ds_s_kwgid=58700008069260214&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1852936823967&product_id=PKBX2&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9030968&creative=625135836142&targetid=pla-1852936823967&campaignid=18467073267&awsearchcpc=&gclid=CjwKCAjw9J2iBhBPEiwAErwpeaiwjWcAPs0gWViOt8WfycT4ag6tQX3V60xYrystOGWIQmZyvICfRBoCnssQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pdpredirect=true" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Yamaha</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Keyboard Bench/Seat</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Even if I know I’ll probably be standing during the gig, I bring my keyboard bench with me. Every gig is different, but it’s always good to have the option, just in case.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PKBB1--yamaha-by-style-keyboard-bench?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073384080333&lid=92700073384080333&ds_s_kwgid=58700008069260214&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1852936823967&product_id=PKBB1&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9030968&creative=625135836142&targetid=pla-1852936823967&campaignid=18467073267&awsearchcpc=&gclid=CjwKCAjw9J2iBhBPEiwAErwpechYpJ0fn05rxNlct2ekGJr66pIyJXKgSAVZX18XRXMZ9YSnJMr4bxoCKWIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pdpredirect=true" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Yamaha</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Pedals</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">I always make sure to have a sustain pedal in my bag, as well as an expression/volume pedal if I’m playing something like an organ.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KSP100--on-stage-stands-ksp100-keyboard-sustain-pedal" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Sustain</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;">/</span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FC7--yamaha-fc7-volume-expression-pedal" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Volume</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Cables</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">I usually bring ¼-inch cables in multiple lengths. I have some short 6-footers if I’m running through a DI box but also some longer 15, 20, and even 25-foot cables if I’m super far from the soundboard. Also, I always bring a PAIR of cables in case I can go stereo.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.mogamicable.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Mogami</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>DI Box</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Some venues don’t have DI boxes, so I always make sure to have one on hand. A DI box is used when the soundboard can only take xlr cables as inputs. My keyboard is a ¼ inch out. The DI box ultimately converts ¼ inch into XLR.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProDI--radial-prodi-1-channel-passive-instrument-direct-box?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=1&mrkgcat=drums&percussion=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073370090886&lid=92700073370090886&ds_s_kwgid=58700008063423976&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1824422034604&product_id=ProDI&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9030968&creative=624396267553&targetid=pla-1824422034604&campaignid=18437397300&awsearchcpc=&gclid=CjwKCAjw9J2iBhBPEiwAErwpeU2n_Glb-wxgbxEMFIsmn52AI84HNwhgzWXWB_MSqKQPUeorH-lNRBoCLpsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pdpredirect=true" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>DI Box</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Keyboard Cover</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">This is easy to bring because it is always in my keyboard bag. This cover has come in handy many times. It helps protect the instrument against the extremely hot sun in the summer, as well as rain. Anyone who has ever played an outdoor gig knows that weather often factors into the equation!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GKC1648--gator-gkc-1648-keyboard-cover-for-88-key-keyboards" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Gator</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>iPad</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">This can work with any kind of tablet, but I make sure I always have my iPad with me. I have loads and loads of music in there (</span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://forscore.co/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>forScore</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> is a game-changer of an app for music), and sometimes you never know what you might need to look for. Also, frequently I have to learn new music for a gig, so I have to be sure to have that with me.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/ipad" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Refurbished iPad</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>iPad holder (and something to hook it onto a mic stand)</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Bringing my iPad is not enough if I can’t see it in front of me! That’s why I always bring an iPad holder that connects to something like a mic stand. It’s smaller and easier to bring than a legit music stand, and it tends to be less obtrusive.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KM19767--k-and-m-19767-universal-tablet-holder-and-foldable-stand" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>K&M</u></span></a></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Earplugs</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Always. I even carry mine in my purse every day. If your hearing gets damaged, then that will hinder your playing. Take care of your hearing, and always protect your ears!! I highly recommend custom musician's earplugs because they bring the db level down but keep the attenuation pretty flat. In other words, they turn down the volume, but you still get an equal amount of high, mids, and lows. But to be honest, ANY earplugs will do!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Recommendation: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Hearprotek-Reduction-Protection-Musicians-Nightclub/dp/B08PBQFQH6/ref=sr_1_5?hvadid=287115424521&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9030968&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12889155675456566548&hvtargid=kwd-505011619395&hydadcr=21694_9710914&keywords=high+fidelity+earplugs+for+musicians&qid=1682448254&sr=8-5" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Hear Pro Tech</u></span></a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/1d462f2c45d2065fe7a0be992cd6f67dc4b6b0c1/original/screen-shot-2023-04-25-at-11-08-09-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">We cannot thank Alex enough for taking the time to break and share her personal gear list with our community. As a guitarist, I've worked with Alex for over a decade, and I've become a fan of everything she does above and beyond the work we do together. Alex leads by example, which is why she is so highly regarded in the music community.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Follow Alex and check out her music.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.facebook.com/AlexNesterMusic" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Facebook</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.instagram.com/AlexNesterMusic/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Instagram </u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://twitter.com/AlexNesterMusic" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Twitter</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5WzhAffPw35eQsC7I3UBjD" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Spotify</u></span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.alexnester.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Website</u></span></a></p><hr><p><span style="color:rgb(18,18,18);"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71728212023-03-16T11:40:27-07:002023-04-25T11:53:26-07:00Student of the Month: Lenna<p style="text-align:center;" dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Congratulations to Lenna on being selected as our April Student of the Month!</strong></span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/89759ef27174f6657d6208288143f838e6e5bb58/original/screen-shot-2023-03-03-at-11-35-46-am-1.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Piano Student" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Lenna joined the </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/about-us" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="About Us" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">SoundLife</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> family in September of 2021. Having previously taken lessons with an outside instructor and longtime SoundLife supporter, Lenna came in with a strong foundation, confidence, and eagerness to learn. At the time, she was just eight years old. Her previous instructor taught her scales and hand positions, and together they had begun working on </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/Mriq2rfgCz0" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;">“Für Elise” by Beethoven by using a <u>YouTube tutorial</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Once Lenna started with her new instructor, she began to learn songs, chords, rhythm, and form to help better connect with her interests and learning style. At first, Lenna struggled with playing in time and feeling the space between beats. She started with "Roar" by Katie Perry, and after mastering the simple part, she worked along with the recording to really feel the part in time. This process was not fast or easy, but Lenna is tenacious. After a few weeks, her confidence and timing skyrocketed. In December of 2021, she performed this song in front of a live audience at El Cid for </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases"><span style="color:#000000;">Showcase</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> XVII. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">After this performance, Lenna's overall confidence was through the roof, and she spent the next six months learning song after song from her own playlists. She would learn each song in its entirety and work the parts to perform them at full speed with the recordings. In June of 2022, Lenna took the stage again, this time performing "Lover" by Taylor Swift, showcasing multiple section changes, parts, and chord progressions. Again, she nailed it.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">After summer break, Lenna returned with one goal in mind. She wanted to revisit “Für Elise” and learn it for real. Though many are familiar with the first few sections of this piece, the entire piece has notable complicated passages. Lenna was undeterred. Week after week, she learned the part, then worked with the metronome, then worked on expressing the part. We are happy to report that the finish line is in sight. Lenna will perform “Für Elise” in its entirety at our upcoming Showcase on June 3. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Lenna's work ethic, patience, and focus are, without a doubt, her greatest strengths. Now a little older and wiser, Lenna knows how to practice, how to play in time, and what to listen for so she can continuously improve. Not everyone has the discipline to spend months on one piece of music, but Lenna has it. As she waters that seed, her overall musicianship flourishes. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/2656fd6c1f55e4cff21828cdf0d043610b7de429/original/screen-shot-2023-03-03-at-11-35-37-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p dir="ltr"> </p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc.? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">I like it because I can learn to play the songs that people play at the piano and because I've learned most of my favorite songs.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr">To finish "Für Elise" by Beethoven!</p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Taylor Swift because I like her music and just love pop music in general. </span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71727642023-03-16T10:35:28-07:002023-04-01T22:26:41-07:00What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Bassist <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/c03b482c-3114-47db-9470-17d2f4299151/48d4ab52-c7c7-43fe-af37-d9122e3c4ede.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Electric Bass" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Hey, I've got another joke! Want to hear it? It's a doozy. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">What's the first thing a bassist says when he knocks on your door?</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">"Pizza Delivery!"</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Yes, it is cringeworthy, maddening, and worse, it is disparaging to both the pizza delivery profession and the music community at large. After all, who wants to live in a world without pizza delivery? If they go on strike, all kinds of chaos will break out. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">All kidding aside, we're back for another article in our series on what musicians should always bring to the gig to set themselves up for success. Following "</span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7146608/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-guitarist" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;">What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Guitarist"</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> and "</span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7161868/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-drummer" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;">What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Drummer,"</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> we are excited to share 10 must-have/bring items for the gigging electric bassist. For this article, we reached out to our very own SoundLife instructor Andy Hill for insight and expertise. At the time of writing this piece, Andy was a graduate student at USC's Thornton School of Music, where he also received his undergraduate degree. Beyond teaching and school, Andy constantly works as a gigging bassist, performing behind pop artists, in cover bands, and in jazz groups. He also performs regularly with our co-founder Chris as part of GB Entertainment. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Andy is a consummate professional. He is often booked on multiple gigs a day from Thursday through Saturday, week in and week out. For every event, Andy is early, prepared, and has a positive attitude. His preparedness, coupled with his skill, is a double-edged sword, swiftly cutting through the noise and setting him apart from the pack. Andy knows where to be, what to wear, what to play, and most importantly, how to play with anyone for everything. Here are the top 10 things Andy considers essential for any gig. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/eb758d2e3edd63443e9724863e54af871d2c15ab/original/screen-shot-2023-03-16-at-10-27-30-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Andrew Hill Electric Bass" /></p><p> </p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Quality Extended Range Bass (5 or more strings)</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The extra five notes you get from a low B string are incredibly helpful. Andy uses them on nearly every pop, rock, and country gig. It keeps the bassist from having to drop-tune the E string. Also, if a singer changes the key of a song from E to Eb, which happens pretty often, the bassist will be able to have the lowest root note to be the 1st fret on the D string. Fender makes the most versatile and durable bass guitars. These are also the "look" nearly every employer wants. Andy recommends Fender Jazz V Ultra, Fender Precision V, and Fender Jazz V (this is the one Andy has). </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Ear Plugs</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The best advice Andy would give his younger self is: "save your ears." It's worth it to shell out money for custom, molded earplugs. </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://custom.ultimateears.com/products/microsonic-earplugs" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Ultimate Ears</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> (whose in-ear monitors or IEMs Andy also uses) make a great pair with interchangeable dB filters. You can also visit any audiologist to get fitted and order a pair. The price varies but runs around $150-$200. Andy uses the 25dB cuts, which are great for live performances, and he recommends moving up to 75dB for concerts or other large-scale events. One great recommendation for getting started with Ear Plugs is to go with a cheaper universal fit option and buy enough to have one in each instrument case, one for a keychain, and one for the car. We recommend </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Hearprotek-Reduction-Protection-Musicians-Nightclub/dp/B08PBQFQH6/ref=sr_1_5?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfGIRt4VfWfrkGs-tqaO5llylHKhPEYVhlCKXiJ0_S54PVqXEP6nzgwaAtGiEALw_wcB&hvadid=409965970731&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9033342&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1681991874345962471&hvtargid=kwd-505011619395&hydadcr=21694_11234743&keywords=high+fidelity+earplugs+for+musicians&qid=1678303210&sr=8-5" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;"><u>these plugs</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Direct Box</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Bass always goes " direct " for nearly every professional performing situation. The sound team will most likely have a direct box for you, but bringing a quality Direct Box is a good idea (especially on high-stakes gigs) to bring a quality Direct Box. You will want an active box if you are playing a passive bass, you will want an active box. Always bring this with you when going into the recording studio, as passive basses sometimes have issues getting enough signal to the board. Here are Andy's recommendations for DI Boxes: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://rupertneve.com/products/rndi" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Neve DI Box</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.radialeng.com/product_category/direct-box" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Radial DI Box</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>The Right Amp</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">This will vary depending on what kind of music you play and what kind of venues you're in. One feature a bassist will want is a Direct Out built into the bass amp (XLR preferably). Most bass amps will have them, even the cheap ones. Note: if you bring your own Direct Box, you won't need the Direct Out. Andy plays a ton of small and medium rooms, so he likes the Fender Rumble 40 because it is incredibly lightweight, portable, durable, and relatively cheap as far as amps go. It throws out a nice, neutral bass tone that is easy to control. It also has a Direct Out for linking into the medium-sized room PA systems. For bigger venues, or when the gig just calls for a little more oomph, Andy recommends Ampeg, Aguilar, or MarkBass. T</span><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="18" height="14" viewbox="0 0 18 14"><path fill="#637682" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M18 4.514a5.9 5.9 0 01-1.004.865c-1.678 1.124-3.365 2.257-5.003 3.43-.843.617-1.888 1.373-2.983 1.373h-.02c-1.095 0-2.14-.756-2.983-1.372-1.638-1.184-3.325-2.307-4.992-3.43A5.601 5.601 0 010 4.513v7.895C0 13.284.723 14 1.607 14h14.786c.884 0 1.607-.716 1.607-1.59V4.513zm0-2.923C18 .716 17.267 0 16.393 0H1.607C.532 0 0 .835 0 1.81c0 .904 1.015 2.028 1.728 2.505 1.557 1.074 3.134 2.148 4.69 3.232.653.447 1.758 1.362 2.572 1.362h.02c.814 0 1.919-.915 2.571-1.362 1.557-1.084 3.134-2.158 4.701-3.232C17.166 3.71 18 2.705 18 1.591z"></path></svg><span style="color:#000000;">here are dozens of ways to combine different speakers and heads. Research the various options and pick what works best for you. Andy recommends </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.fender.com/en-US/bass-amplifiers/contemporary-digital/rumble-40/2370300000.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Fender Rumble 40</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.markbass.it/product/cmd-102p/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>MarkBass 102P, </u></span></a><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/c578--B_Guitar_Heads?highlight=ToneHammer500&mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073384080450&lid=92700073384080450&ds_s_kwgid=58700008068168848&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1821842588874&product_id=ToneHammer500&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9033342&creative=625135836151&targetid=pla-1821842588874&campaignid=18473148896&awsearchcpc=&&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfEHKxf_DuotB6SLrdLxk1ckpxBrP9HoavOIfVAmtG8Bn4dmkSLe0FgaAm5PEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Aguilar Tone Hammer Head, 500w</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">, and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/c578--B_Guitar_Heads?highlight=ToneHammer500&mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073384080450&lid=92700073384080450&ds_s_kwgid=58700008068168848&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1821842588874&product_id=ToneHammer500&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9033342&creative=625135836151&targetid=pla-1821842588874&campaignid=18473148896&awsearchcpc=&&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfEHKxf_DuotB6SLrdLxk1ckpxBrP9HoavOIfVAmtG8Bn4dmkSLe0FgaAm5PEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Ampeg SVT-7 Pro 1000</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>A Plug-In or Pedal Tuner</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Andy recommends a plug-in or pedal tuner because the clip-on ones sometimes have trouble with bass, especially the low B string. The pedal is ideal because it can also act as a defacto mute switch for in-between sets. </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.tcelectronic.com/product.html?modelCode=P0CM0" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Polytune</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> makes a fantastic pedal tuner. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Effects (or lack thereof)</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Bassists should exercise great restraint when it comes to effects. At most gigs, a bassist will not need any effect. Occasionally, a bassist may need some, probably more so in the recording studio. Here are some recommendations to get started: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.ehx.com/products/bass-big-muff-pi/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Big Muff</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> (fuzz), </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/c584--Bass_FX?highlight=BassEnvelope&mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700073384080456&lid=92700073384080456&ds_s_kwgid=58700008068168848&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=1864088150557&product_id=BassEnvelope&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=u&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9033342&creative=625135836151&targetid=pla-1864088150557&campaignid=18473148896&awsearchcpc=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfFd5k07MpxRJDa-aU5MWclZBfuubq4UWxtINYH5OjMLqmZHlu6LsrgaAh1oEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&Pedals=" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Envelope Filter</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> (to sound more synthy), and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OC5--boss-oc-5-octave-pedal" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Octave Pedal</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Cables</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Bring two of everything because you never know when you need a backup! Quarter inch, XLR, and power cable for your amp. If you are unfamiliar with the venue, assume that your power source will be far away and there will only be one slot for you. If you need more than one (for example, if you have an amp and pedal board), bring a power strip and extension cord. Sometimes the sound team will have this for you, and sometimes they won't. It is definitely worth buying nice cables and taking care of them. Having two pieces of unreliable junk will not serve the mission of setting yourself apart.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Recommendations: Quarter Inch, XLR, Amp Power Cable (pro tip: get a 25-foot one of these), Cable Ties.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Gaff Tape</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">An underrated part of the musician tool kit, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Gaffer-Power-Non-Reflective-Multipurpose/dp/B00GZE3UJ8" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>gaffing</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> down your cables not only makes you look more professional but also fixes the safety issue of tripping on wires. Some places will not even allow you to run cables through certain pathways if they are not taped down.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Tool Kit</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">You may need to perform simple maintenance while on a gig, either on your instrument or another piece of equipment. Must-haves include screwdrivers, wire cutters (get big ones that can cut through bass strings), pliers (large and needle nose), electrical tape, and a medium-sized knife. Andy recommends </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Channellock-337-7-Inch-Diagonal-Cutting/dp/B00004SBDC/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfHlfdWhDoWHTtGsCSMxH5jF7WNzugbh-Zxe3TX-zUkqiyYcnVF_Uu0aAguaEALw_wcB&hvadid=583850434799&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9033342&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7387364413240542483&hvtargid=kwd-312013116708&hydadcr=1640_9516019&keywords=channellock+wire+cutter&qid=1678304696&s=hi&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Channellock Wire Cutters</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Extra materials</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Backup materials include strings, batteries (9 volts if you use an active bass), a guitar strap, and pedal patch/power cables. Andy highly recommends </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.elixirstrings.com/guitar-strings/electric-bass-nickel-plated-steel-nanoweb-coating" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>Elixir Nano Web strings</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/3cb9b1978b79faea448cbb8ac6d9e9b6de5516c8/original/screen-shot-2023-03-16-at-10-26-41-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Andrew Hill Electric Bassist" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">A big thank you to Andy for taking the time to share the insight he has acquired throughout hundreds of gigs. If mastery takes 10,000 hours, Andy is easily a Shadow Ninja (the highest level in ninjutsu). The items on this list typically take musicians years to work through as they find one thing after another that they either didn't think about, forgot, or realized would have made a substantial difference. The goal of lists like this is not to add stress to the gig but to take stress away. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">As a professional musician works their way up, they learn what they need to be their best self. These items vary from person to person and gig to gig, but in the end, musicians universally agree that peace of mind is most important. For many, peace of mind takes years to acquire, but by adhering to the recommendations in this list, you will undoubtedly be ahead of most. The sooner a musician knows how to be unobstructed in their abilities—which happens by taking control of every variable within their power—the sooner they can get back to having fun and serving their passion.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Follow Andy on Instagram </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.instagram.com/andrewhill4/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#000000;"><u>@andrewhill4</u></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">If you read this and have questions, please feel free to comment, and we will respond. Our mission to empower musicians extends to everyone. </span></p><hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/b9635ac272726e8cf268efbf28bea6a84c2f1c31/original/img-0216-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71618682023-02-27T17:07:02-08:002024-01-02T14:04:05-08:00What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Drummer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/f5df74f823715f9cac611f456c132b6e23467627/original/screen-shot-2023-02-27-at-4-59-34-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="In The End Drummer" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Are you ready for another terrible musician joke? Brace yourself. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">What do you call a musician who just broke up with their partner? Wait for it…</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Homeless.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Are you crying because it’s so funny or because it's so true? In continuation of our series on “What to Bring to the Gig,” we will be moving over to the drum throne—to sit behind the kit and orchestrate a full-on rebellion against the truth in age-old jokes like this. In </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7146608/what-to-bring-to-the-gig-pro-guitarist" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">“<u>What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Guitarist</u>,”</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> we broke down 10 things a guitar player should consider before they leave their home for the gig. With this checklist in mind, a guitarist can transform from broke musician to seasoned pro in the eyes of their employer. Over time, they can write their own story of sustained success and reliability. Now, it’s time to give the drummer some love.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">For this article, I reached out to my good friend and colleague, Zak St. John (learn more about Zak and his incredible career in this </span><a class="no-pjax" href="http://voyagela.com/interview/life-work-with-zak-st-john-of-burbank/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;"><u>VoyageLA interview</u></span></a><a data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">)</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">. To summarize, Zak is one of the best and busiest musicians in Los Angeles. He works on stage and in the studio both as a performer and drum tech for some of the biggest artists and session musicians on earth. Over the years, he has learned by example, and today, Zak is in demand because he takes care of business. His employers know that he won’t just come to the gig; he’ll come ready to take the entire project to another level. This starts with knowing what to bring to the gig. Below are the top 10 things that Zak considers, not after the gig, and not on the gig, but before he steps foot in the venue.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Stick Bag: Sticks, Mallets, Rods (Hot Rods), and Brushes </strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">It all starts with sticks. Believe it or not, I have actually been on gigs where a drummer either needs sticks, only has one pair, or doesn’t have the type of sticks needed to get the sounds the artist is after. A surefire way to get fired. Rather than not having enough, it’s better to have the tools available for any dynamic or sound texture needed. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Drum Key</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">If you don’t know what this is, you probably aren’t playing professional gigs just yet. This is a drummer's main tool to tune, tighten, and adjust the parts of a drum set. Some drummers carry these on key chains, some have them in multiple places just in case. Without these, you’re pretty much stuck at the gate. A good quality and well-balanced drum key is best. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Gaff Tape or Muffling Device</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Oftentimes with drums, the length of decay/resonance/tone needs to be manipulated for a sound or vibe. Some examples of devices are professional gaff tape (my preference for ease of use and manipulative capability), </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.guitarcenter.com/RTOM/Moongel-Percussion-Dampening-Gels-1274115039839.gc?cntry=us&source=4SOS0DRBA" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">moon gels</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.snareweight.com/" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">Snare Weight</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> brand products, and </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://bigfatsnaredrum.com/" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">Big Fat Snare</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> products. Knowing how and when to use this will set you apart, and it will ease everyone in the room when you break this out at a soundcheck. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Lug Lock/Tuning Lock</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">These are used on the tension rods of the drum. They lock into place on each rod and help prevent the drum from losing its tuning over the course of a performance. Zak recommends </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://tunerfishluglocks.com/" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">Tuner Fish</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> and Lug Locks.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Practice Pad</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">This is great to have for warming up before sessions or gigs. They accommodate for practice while traveling or when you're not in front of a drum kit. Many different sizes and types are available to fit each individual's needs. The drummer who warms up on a practice pad backstage before the gig screams “professional” without uttering a word. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/a8f257d0-6486-4d7f-8f72-d90c8224dccc/percus-11.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Drums" /></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Metronome/Tempo Reference Device</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">It's very important to have a metronome or a way to reference tempos and feel for each song. Zak recommends the </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tempo-metronome-with-setlist/id304731501" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">"TEMPO"</span></a><span style="color:#222222;"> app on a cell phone, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.tama.com/usa/products/detail/rw200.html" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">Tama Rhythm Watch</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">, or having a playlist of songs on Spotify arranged ahead of time to quickly reference tempo. The drummer's main job is to keep the tempo, and having this set up and ready to go ensures a smooth rehearsal, performance, or session. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>In-Ear Monitors</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">These not only help protect from hearing loss, but they are also great to plug into a phone/metronome for tempo and audio references on live gigs and recording sessions. Also, when a band uses backing tracks, in-ears are essential for referencing the click track. It is best to add in a 1/4" or 1/8" adapter for varying input capabilities. You do not need molded in-ear monitors to get started. A universal pair does the job. I recommend </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.meeaudio.com/" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#222222;">MEE</span></a><span style="color:#222222;">.</span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"> <strong>Bass Drum Pedal</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Most drummers have a preference of pedal for feel, speed, and comfort while playing. Zak brings his pedals everywhere he goes. You can adjust and change the settings on pedals to help with your personal feel and musical needs. The beater, spring tension, and balance weight are all things that can vary from pedal to pedal. You're most likely going to play your best with a familiar feeling pedal. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Spare Heads/Parts</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">It is very beneficial to keep spare heads around for the drum batters (head that takes the impact from sticks/pedals), and also the resonant snare side head. These are all heads that have a higher likelihood of breaking. Having a spare snare batter and resonant head are the most crucial to have at all times. It's great to have spare tension rods, snare wire, and snare straps (to attach wires to the snare strainer/butt) as well. No one wants to be on stage with a drummer who broke a head and is sitting helpless saying, “It’s fine. We can keep going.” Yeah, you can keep going, all the way home. </span></p><h4 dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Cymbal Bag with Preferred Cymbals</strong></span></h4><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">Many times, cymbals that are on rehearsal studio kits, backline kits in venues, or rented cymbals are heavily used or of cheaper quality. If you have a cymbal bag with a preferred or musically appropriate set of cymbals, you can guarantee a more professional sound. Examples would be: Hihats, (2-3) crash cymbals, ride cymbal, and efx cymbals (splash, china, etc). </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">A roaring ovation goes out to Zak for sharing what he brings to the gig. Remember, this is not a list created by AI. This comes from a musician who worked his way up, earned his place, and has a sustained career in music as a result. Zak is someone I look to as an inspiring example of the right kind of musician. If you take the recommendations to heart and implement them in your routine, you will see and feel a difference—not just in your own comfort level and your own piece of mind, but in the comfort level of everyone else around you everywhere you go. Over time word will get around, and your name will become synonymous with reliability. You will be thought of as a pro. This is a hard place to get to, but an easy place to fall from. Take care of the details, and maybe together we can write some new, less disparaging musician jokes together.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/3098d57ef11fe2bc9af24148cd9d9d385974938f/original/screen-shot-2023-02-27-at-5-11-59-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Zak St John" /></p><p dir="ltr">Follow Zak St. John:</p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(34, 34, 34);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">@zakstjohn</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(34, 34, 34);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.zakstjohn.com/" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.zakstjohn.com&source=gmail&ust=1677625793425000&usg=AOvVaw0NBgdwjad7Ia1hfxYcyFIW"><font size="2" face="georgia, serif"><strong>www.zakstjohn.com</strong></font></a></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(34, 34, 34);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><font face="georgia, serif"><strong>Remo Drumheads Artists Page</strong></font></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(34, 34, 34);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">
<font size="2" face="georgia, serif"><strong>Istanbul Agop Cymbals Artist Page</strong></font><br><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.innovativepercussion.com/artists/zak_st_john" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.innovativepercussion.com/artists/zak_st_john&source=gmail&ust=1677625793425000&usg=AOvVaw11W5ZJoivm180NYF3QTtal"><font size="2" face="georgia, serif"><strong>Innovative Percussion Artist Page</strong></font></a>
</div><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">If you read this and have questions, please feel free to comment. We will respond. Our mission to empower musicians extends to everyone. </span></p><hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71615722023-02-27T10:53:05-08:002023-03-05T21:38:04-08:00Student of the Month: Zeke<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Congratulations to Zeke on being selected as our </strong><br><strong>March Student of the Month!</strong></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/5859678205b8069b10b89ccbd9219a205c00a6f3/original/screen-shot-2023-02-24-at-10-25-27-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_orig justify_center border_" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">The last time Zeke was highlighted as our Student of the Month was in </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/6446272/october-student-of-the-month-zeke"><span style="color:#1155cc;"><u>October 2020</u></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">. When we read through that article now, we take a walk down memory lane at a point just after Zeke had participated in his second Showcase. This was in the middle of the pandemic. During that time, he learned all of "Hotel California," diligently working through the entire solo. When we think back to that time, one might ask, how can you top those accomplishments?</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Well, this is 2023, and Zeke has no limits. He is unphased by past success. For Showcase XIX, held in December 2022, this talented young man stepped onto the stage with his first band, GRB, and sang "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen. We know what you're thinking. Yes, the first singer Zeke modeled may very well be the greatest frontman of all time, Freddie Mercury. This took courage—large helpings of courage backed by an incredible work ethic—and encouragement from his family, teachers, and peers. Guess what? GRB crushed it. Yet, that was just the beginning. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Zeke and GRB have been steadily preparing for their next Showcase performance, voting on songs, and testing the waters. The result of this process is a song of legendary status, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by the Beatles, featuring none other than the guitar god of guitar gods, Eric Clapton. Week after week, Zeke worked through the various rhythm and lead parts. Last week, he finished the entire song. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000;">Having had the honor of watching Zeke grow over the years on his instrument and in life over the years, it is inspiring to see how far he has come. Zeke stands tall with his guitar in hand. He internalized phrasing and musical passages like a seasoned pro, and he exemplifies phenomenal character by listening to, supporting, and encouraging those around him. Go, Zeke! Keep on raising that bar. We're on the edge of our seats with excitement for the next GRB show!</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/260009/e71affe1ae37bd83d1e0435cbbc2c7a734c00439/original/screen-shot-2023-02-24-at-10-27-25-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Band Coaching" /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/etc.? </strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">I like playing in a band because instead of playing songs by myself with guitar only and sometimes bass, I get to have bass, a second guitar, and drums playing along with me for a more complete song. I also like being introduced to songs by my bandmates that I might not otherwise play.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">My ultimate goal with music is to have fun and be able to just play without the worry of whether I am going to remember this or if I am going to impede everyone else by missing a note and messing up the song. Playing music is a great outlet for me, and learning difficult songs is a challenge that I love overcoming. I want to keep playing for the rest of my life. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;"><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#222222;">My favorite current artists are Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Harry Styles, but I also like to listen to more classic bands like the Beatles, Queen, and Led Zeppelin.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71487462023-02-04T11:08:18-08:002023-02-27T10:52:28-08:00Student of the Month: Elias<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Elias on being selected as our <br>February Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/111b1fb2998331c4fee374145d691c7a82bc79f5/original/screen-shot-2023-02-04-at-10-11-50-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p>
<p>Watching Elias grow into the musician he is today—confident and skilled—has been an incredible journey. After working with his schoolmates in a rock band class, Elias began guitar lessons in June of 2022 with <a contents="Lorenzo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/teacher-feature-lorenzo-taddei-a-sonic-jedi" target="_blank">Lorenzo</a>. The inspiration to learn and keep up with his classmates skyrocketed Elias's progress. Having the application to use the skills he was learning on a weekly basis, combined with a little healthy peer pressure, Elias transformed into a full-blown rock star at a rapid pace.</p>
<p>Lorenzo raves about Elias's focus and determination. He saw a bit of himself in Elias and felt a mentorship developing week after week. In November, Lorenzo went on tour with <a contents="Thomas Headon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thomasheadon.com/" target="_blank">Thomas Headon</a>, and Elias attended Lorenzo's Los Angeles show at the Troubadour. Seeing your teacher practice what they preach lets you think two things: "My teacher is awesome," and "If they can do it, I can do it."</p>
<p>During this time, Elias and his classmates formed an official band outside of school. Nate, Sophia, Eden, Carter, and Elias came together with their eyes on <a contents="Showcase XIX." data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">Showcase XIX.</a> Our <a contents="Co-Founder and Program Director Chris" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">Co-Founder and Program Director Chris</a> stepped in to coach their band while Lorenzo was away on tour. They only had four weeks of rehearsing once per week, but with everyone dialed in, focused, and excited, they grew stronger and stronger. Every Sunday they chipped away at their setlist, eventually settling on five songs to perform. When the time came to choose a band name, they all agreed on "Sunday," as that was the day they all came together. </p>
<p>On December 10, 2022, Elias took the stage with Sunday and blew the roof off <a contents="El Cid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.elcidsunset.com/" target="_blank">El Cid</a>. They sounded polished and professional, while clearly having fun. Listen to their incredible set <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cubbp9thbzazkt/Sunday.mov?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>. At the same event, Elias also joined our All-Star House Band, composed of instructors and seasoned touring musicians, to perform "Boys Don't Cry" by The Cure. Without any rehearsal, Elias performed flawlessly. You can hear his rendition of Boys Don't Cry by clicking <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/mtdkg2j0yw3c333/Elias%20Irvine.mov?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>We are beyond proud of Elias's growth on his instrument, but it is his attitude that sets him apart. Being in a band is not always easy; it takes compromise, patience, and a whole lot of teamwork. These are areas where Elias truly excels. In every lesson and rehearsal, Elias comes prepared with a willingness to listen and an eagerness to learn. He is willing to step out of his comfort zone, such as when he was asked to sing background vocals, having never sung before. He lifts up all of his bandmates, and he learns everyone's song choices as if they were his own. </p>
<p>Congratulations, Elias! We can't wait to hear what you and Sunday are doing for the next big show. Keep rocking. You inspire us, and we're thankful for all you bring to the SoundLife community. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c133eeef282591a396bdef25e10b6e93a1b1b47f/original/screen-shot-2023-02-04-at-10-11-22-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/ etc? </strong></p>
<p>My favorite part about learning music is being able to express myself in a way that I love every step of the way and the fact that there is always a next step. In music there is no impassable wall that you will hit one day and say “I’ve learned everything there is to know.” The sky's the limit and you can go infinitely far as long as you keep working for it. My favorite part of playing in a band is being able to take a group of people that could be from different places or have any number of differences and still being able to come together and create something that represents every person individually. </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong> </p>
<p>My ultimate goal with music is just to keep following my passion. Everybody wants to be a rockstar playing on a stage and I'm no different. However, all of that seems so far ahead in the future. What got me to where I am is my love for learning music and I just want to grab hold of that passion and follow it where it takes me. </p>
<p><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)? </strong></p>
<p>My favorite guitar player is Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix is one of those guitar players that needs no introduction, anytime you hear one of his songs you know who made it. What I really admire about him is how he forced a space for himself in the world of music by creating something so unique to his own that no one else could take that spot away from him. Even trying to learn some of his songs decades after they have been released you might never play it as he did whether it's because of the fact that he played a right handed guitar upside down or just because of how innovative every note he played was.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71466082023-01-31T15:23:41-08:002023-12-08T09:29:26-08:00What to Bring to the Gig: Pro Guitarist<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/aa64923f78c6d9dc889d95819277366622a20992/original/bts-blackbg-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>Have you ever heard the joke, "What's the difference between a pizza and a musician?" Can you guess the answer? It is not good news. "A pizza can feed a family of four." </p><p>Whenever someone tells me this joke, I have to force mild laughter. Inside I'm crying. It isn't that jokes like this aren't funny; they are. What's sad is that these jokes reflect how society views musicians, and let's face it, musicians bring this on themselves. Think about how musicians are often portrayed on television and in movies. Think about many of the musicians you know. They are seen as broke, late, unprepared, intoxicated, aimless, and aloof. Upon hearing this, someone is bound to argue that musicians are revered and integral contributors to art and culture. But, as soon as they give their first example, if they even have one, it's almost always a classical musician. It's never the touring musicians, the weekend warriors, or the singer-songwriters. No, unfortunately, they get the short end of that stick. And, honestly, after being in this business for nearly two decades, it is disappointing how many people walk right into the stereotypes. </p><p>It doesn't have to be this way. I just so happen to have a family of four, and lo and behold, we are not starving. We have shelter. We pay our bills on time, and as far as I know, we're not held back by any severe dependencies. And what's more, I am not alone. Over the years, I've met many mentors along the way who exemplify the number one skill necessary to be continuously successful at anything: professionalism. They are unfortunately the minority, but I gravitated toward these individuals early on, learning from them, building friendships, following their example, and using what I learned to set examples of my own. </p><p>Part of my life's purpose is to change the societal story about musicians. This topic is something I am immensely passionate about and could easily write on and on. This article is intended for guitarists as part of a series focused on one crucial topic for each instrument: "What to Bring to the Gig." If we are going to change the way people see us, if we're going to change their minds, we must seal up all the cracks. We have to overcompensate, and we have to be consistent. This starts with being prepared. If you have a gig, you likely worked very hard to get it. The quickest way to lose it is to ignore everything I'm about to share. </p><h3><i><strong>Proper Gig Bag </strong></i></h3><p>Don't show up to the gig with your instrument outside of its case or in a $20 cloth sack. It tells everyone in the room you are an amateur and whatever is in that cloth sack is worthless. Instead, get a gig bag that offers ample protection. There are a number of companies that professional musicians use. I personally use <a class="no-pjax" href="https://monocreators.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Mono Cases">Mono Cases</a> and highly recommend them.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/8da25edd-0dd2-400a-8da3-25ef171b3c35/andrew-spencer-08-c5-gxa7m-unsplash.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Pro Guitarist" /></p><h3><i><strong>Proper Guitar </strong></i></h3><p>This should go without saying, but I've seen some crazy things. Remember, people listen with their eyes. If you show up with a $100 guitar, that is a reflection of the effort you are going to put into the situation you are in. There are tons of exceptional makers and models, but classic models such as Stratocasters, Telecasters, and Les Pauls are instruments everyone is familiar with and never go out of style. </p><h3><i><strong>Proper Cables / Professionally Wrapped </strong></i></h3><p>Why cheap out on the cable? Nothing else works without the cable! Yes, I know there is a $10 cable at Guitar Center. Stay away from it. Get a cable with a lifetime guarantee, and fork over the money. The peace of mind this will provide is priceless. I personally use <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.mogamicable.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Mogami Cables">Mogami Cables</a>. And don't stuff it in the bag all jumbled up. Whenever I see someone pull out a tangled cable, I want to shake them. Wrap the cable in small, clean circles. The cable will last longer, and so will your gig. </p><h3><i><strong>Picks </strong></i></h3><p>You need picks. Unless you are Wes Montgomery, bring an assortment of the picks you feel most comfortable playing with. Don't try passing off pennies and dimes because you forgot a pick. It sounds terrible, and with every stroke, your guitar is contemplating firing you. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/2ef7e24f-6420-4414-a2f7-2e3b6322375a/strings-30.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Capo" /></p><h3><i><strong>Capo </strong></i></h3><p>Always have a Capo and know how and when to use it. A capo is not a crutch; it is a tool to get open position sounds in any key. A professional will always pursue the best solution to any musical challenge, and a capo is one of the most essential tools in a guitarist's arsenal in navigating this process. Again, don't get a cheap capo. The highest-end capos are not expensive. I recommend <a class="no-pjax" href="https://shubb.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents=" Shubb">Shubb</a>. </p><h3><i><strong>Tuner </strong></i></h3><p>If you show up to a rehearsal or gig without a tuner, you might as well head right back home. No one wants to hear you tune your instrument by ear; it's like nails on a chalkboard. Get a discreet clip-on tuner or a pedal tuner. Make sure you tune in silence. This means that if you are using the clip-on tuner, your volume should be at 0. I recommend a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.snarktuners.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Snark">Snark</a> or a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.boss.info/us/products/tu-2/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Boss TU-2">Boss TU-2</a>. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:zglseed/v1/stock_photo/b4d05535-715f-4d11-92a2-2e20930d7d2f/haley-powers-370161-unsplash.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJ6Z2xzZWVkIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Tremelo Arm" /></p><h3><i><strong>Tremelo Arm (If Applicable) </strong></i></h3><p>If your guitar uses a tremolo arm, bring it. Certain songs require it, some artists will ask for it, and it's one more opportunity to be the guitarist who's on their game. The trick is to avoid ever having to say, "I have that, but I just didn't bring it." </p><h3><i><strong>Extra Strings & String Winder </strong></i></h3><p>Strings break. That is an unavoidable truth, and of course when they break, it's often at the worst possible time. But, I'll tell you what. The guitarist that hangs in there with the song until the right moment, then jumps off stage or backstage, grabs a pack of strings and a string winder, and changes that string before the next unmissable moment—that guitarist is going to get hired back. The other guitarist—the one looking lost with their hands in the air—making their problem everyone else's, they're going to have plenty of time to complain about how unfair the world is from their couch at home. </p><h3>
<i><strong>Necessary Effects / Amps</strong></i> </h3><p>Head to Spotify and click on a playlist of today's hits. What do you hear? Are there any sounds that can be produced by plugging a guitar directly into an amp? Likely you'll find very few. Today's music requires a strong command of recreating sounds, building patches, and making dramatic changes in tone within a narrow window of time. Build a clean pedal board with quality pedals and cables, or go for a high-end modeling unit. <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/stompbox-a-guide-to-effects-pedals?mc_cid=71f088311d&mc_eid=187060bacb" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Click here to read about how to build a pedal board">Click here to read about how to build a pedal board</a>. If you show up to a gig with a bunch of loose mid-level pedals, some couplers, and a one-spot power supply (or worse, batteries), your meal between soundcheck and the gig will be lonely. Save yourself the stress, and invest. Take the time and spend the money to deliver the sounds that contemporary music demands.</p><p>The same goes for your amplifier. The two essential amp options that a professional guitarist should have is a quality tube amp and a digital option such as a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.kemper-amps.com/profiler/overview" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Kemper">Kemper</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://line6.com/helix/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Helix">Helix</a>, or <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.fractalaudio.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Fractal">Fractal</a>. Certain gigs require a guitarist to go direct, and if you're traveling, going direct ensures you will have the exact sounds you worked so hard to capture. I personally use a Fender Deluxe Reverb or a Line 6 Helix LT. </p><h3><i><strong>In-Ear Monitors w/ a Quarter-Inch Adapter</strong></i></h3><p>Some gigs will require in-ear monitors. If you do not know what these are, let me start by saying these are not in-ear headphones. You can't run to Best Buy and grab some headphones and then go to the gig. In-ear monitors are discreet monitoring headphones that are flush with your ear, allowing them to stay in place while you move around. If you show up to a gig and the stage is clean, meaning no wedges (floor monitors), chances are they are running ears. Always have these with you. You don't even need $900 molded monitors. You can start with a universal fit pair. I recommend <a class="no-pjax" href="https://pro.meeaudio.com/" data-link-type="url">MEE</a>. Having the 1/4 inch adapter is one more chance to be extra prepared. </p><p>If you have made it this far, you're probably curious and hungry. This is good. Stay that way. Don't ever stop listening to what is going on. Things change and technology moves fast. The musicians who do not keep up get left behind. The trick with all of this is to consider optics. Think about the patrons (fans, guests), the employer (artist, venue, agency), and your colleagues (bandmates). Consider how you want them to perceive you, then trace the steps backward to achieve that ideal. The pursuit of being a musician is competitive. Much is left to chance, but not everything. Take control of all that you can. If you keep this in mind at every touch point, you can't lose. </p><p>Everything mentioned here, I learned either from my own mistakes or other people's mistakes. Take heed: the shortest path to victory is letting other people's mistakes be enough. With that said, things happen, and that is okay. Mistakes that are corrected go down as lessons and eventually become endearing stories. But mistakes that go unaddressed reflect on your character and will result in loss of work. Those mentors I mentioned before take care of all the little things all the time, and because they do that, they are always in demand. If you do the same, together we will change the musician's story. </p><p>If you read this and have any questions, please feel free to comment. We will respond. SoundLife is a community of musicians with a mission of empowerment, and we're happy to help.</p><hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71304142022-12-30T11:56:42-08:002023-01-30T13:43:16-08:00Student of the Month: James<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to James on being selected as our <br>January Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/90bc1e14b875ce8b99703abf2f17666e8c828945/original/screen-shot-2022-12-30-at-11-38-55-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></strong></p>
<p>James began guitar lessons with Lorenzo and voice lessons with Andy in the summer of 2022. At the time, James was already a well-developed musician with experience. The only thing missing for James was an environment for him to create his own challenges alongside a mentor and reach for them. When James began lessons, his mother sent over videos of him playing and singing in a band format. It was immediately apparent that James already possessed a command of the guitar, the techniques required for more advanced guitar solos, and the ability to sing while playing. These skills take years to develop, but with them already in place, what limits are there?</p>
<p>With the help of his guitar instructor Lorenzo, James chose to learn the song "Sanitarium" by Metallica. This is a nearly seven-minute song with multiple solos, odd time signatures, and a long song structure. In most cases, students of his age only learn a few parts and struggle to play songs of this nature in their entirety. James is not most cases. He learned every part of the song—all of the solos and lyrics—and even adapted parts of the melody to fit his voice.</p>
<p>When the time came to submit songs for our December Showcase XIX, James was more than ready. He forced our All-Star House Band to raise the bar to support his hard work. On December 8, James came to the house band dress rehearsal with one 30-minute time slot to put the song together with our full band. He did it in less than ten minutes. After just one run-through, we knew this would be a fun performance for everyone to experience. James took the stage at El Cid two days later and nailed every section. At one point toward the song's end, he and our Program Director came together on stage to do the guitar harmony section of the song, and it was a truly special moment. </p>
<p>One of the more unique aspects of our program is not just the power of choice but how far we can take it. If a student is inspired, we will do everything we can to turn that spark into fire. We're so proud of James's growth and dedication. This was, in fact, his first SoundLife Showcase, and we cannot wait to see what he does next!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/85dae381a0f7e3e56de0272e9ff0354eb611c2b5/original/screen-shot-2022-12-30-at-11-37-14-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71299282022-12-29T13:26:38-08:002023-01-02T13:50:57-08:00Concert Summary: Showcase XIX<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Concert Summary: Showcase XIX </strong></h3>
<p>As I sit to write this concert summary amidst the slow pace of the holiday break, I close my eyes and travel back to December 10, 2022, when the earth shook and the sky cracked. "Let there be rock" shouted down from the heavens. And there was rock. And it was good. This magic was on full display, but as we dive into what will surely be remembered as one of the greatest Showcases in SoundLife history, it becomes clear that though there was magic, it was matched evenly with old-fashioned hard work. </p>
<p>It is always a scramble in the early morning as the stage is set and sound checked, the floors cleaned and chairs placed. Everyone is eyeing the clock preparing for the whole day that lies ahead. In this way, it was just another <a contents="Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">Showcase</a>. After all, we have done this before. Eighteen times to be exact. With each deep breath, we relax. We've got this down. We have beautiful systems forged in fire.</p>
<p>At 11:15 am, the intro playlist kicked in, and the house began to fill. Instead of the generic classic rock playlist that typically greats eager fans, our audience was treated to original music written, performed, and recorded by SoundLife students. Songs from Brother and Natalie Bernstein led right into our final pre-show selection, "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You" by AC/DC. </p>
<p>When I took the stage to begin the show, I felt a sense of calm and confidence that had eluded me in previous years. I knew that this audience, more than any prior, was in store for a unique musical odyssey. These artists, composed of songwriters, instrumentalists, and bands, worked their tails off. All they needed was a stage.</p>
<p>At 11:30 am, <a contents="Riley" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-riley" style="" target="_blank">Riley</a> kicked off the show. He performed the smash hit "As It Was" by Harry Styles with our All-Star House Band. Riley created his own arrangement with his instructor, and together they mapped out when he would play the piano and when he would step away to just sing. It was perfect and showcased incredible growth from previous performances. </p>
<p>Following Riley was young Violet on drums, digging into "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift. At just six years old, Violet sat poised behind the full drum set. She knew exactly what to do when the music started, and she had the audience in the palm of her hand. </p>
<p>Up next was Pepper Manley performing alongside the house band and taking on an ambitious two-part song called "The Lightning" by Arcade Fire. This winding song form put everyone to work. On stage was a focused group of musicians, locked in from beginning to end, with Pepper front and center. Pepper had all of her parts memorized. Focused on her guitar and the audience, the spotlight was all hers. </p>
<p>Our Showcases are an opportunity for performers of all ages and skill levels to Showcase where they are in their musical journey. Inspiration is everywhere, but competition comes only from within. With every concert, performers are inspired to try new things and reach new heights. After Pepper's full band performance, we moved on to two young siblings, Sam and Ava, stepping on the stage for the first time. They each performed a traditional piano piece with their instructor, Anna, right by their side. The audience erupted with applause. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/abb2f74795b1e95351999e0f5b0fa363aace87b5/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-12-56-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Voice Lessons" /></p>
<p>Next, the Showcase turned to musical theater with vocalist Zoe. At the young age of 6, Zoe stood on stage and belted out "I'm Finally Me" from the Disney movie <em>Zombies 3 </em>in what became a precious moment. Zoe sang to a track, showing no fear, but instead, she looked excited and happy to share her song with the world. </p>
<p>Following Zoe's journey to Broadway, we returned to pop and rock with Ryan. Accompanied by his instructor, Ryan sang "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles. This song takes on a new life as a piano and vocal duet, and Ryan sang it beautifully. He then stayed on stage for his second selection, a full-band performance of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day. This classic track was executed flawlessly, and Ryan shined as the rock star he is. </p>
<p>As the Program Director, it is my job to curate all of SoundLife's performances. I take great pride in this job and have so much fun looking at all of the song selections that come in from each performer. When "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix was submitted, I had to take a moment to pause. This was a song I remembered learning as a young teenager and then playing regularly for the rest of my career. More importantly, it was a song I remembered learning and playing with my father. Knowing he would be in town for the Showcase, I asked him to play on this song along with our house band in support of Gavin. Knowing my father's resume as a concert percussionist in the United States Navy Band for 26 years, I figured he fit the bill as an "All-Star." This was all possible because Gavin put in the work to prepare this classic piece. It is a difficult number, and the intro is easily the song's most challenging and well-known part. Gavin nailed it; from the intro on, he stayed on fire. It was a thrill and honor to play alongside Gavin and my father. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ffb81ab10f31896802e57a42a402f524db4649c9/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-13-13-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p>
<p>Our next performer, Sophia, started her segment by getting everyone into the holiday spirit with a gorgeous rendition of "Winter Wonderland." She dove into the world of R&B by treating the crowd to a now-classic song, "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae. Sophia had only planned to do a portion of the song, but when she came to rehearsal earlier in the week, her command was impeccable, and we collectively decided she should perform all of it. SoundLife Showcases reflect the performer's interests, so we never know what music genres we will cover. It was nice to represent R&B and see songs like this connect with the next generation. </p>
<p>The following two performers were placed together because of their unique artistry. They are both songwriters with a keen sense of how they want their music to sound and impact their audience. First up was Sarah, a multi-instrumentalist proficient as a vocalist, pianist, and guitarist. She started her set with a solo piano and vocal rendition of a Billie Eilish song called "idontwannabeyouanymore" before moving to a full-band performance to share her original piece, "Helen." Sarah's confidence and command on stage are truly inspiring to see at her young age, and we applaud her artistic development.</p>
<p>Sarah was followed by <a contents="Natalie Bernstein" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JTePLUeorw" style="" target="_blank">Natalie Bernstein</a>. You may notice I used Natalie's last name. That is not an accident. Natalie became somewhat of a public figure with the 2022 release of her first single, <a contents="“Adrenaline.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6w2r4WzDSMx39IoexpDIry" target="_blank">"Adrenaline."</a> This song was recorded through our recording program, which was created in response to Natalie's prolific songwriting bug that began in 2020. For this performance, Natalie shared a brand new song called "Scheme" with the full band. This hypnotic dancey number was a completely new sound for Natalie. A la The 1975, "Scheme" tells a captivating story while the band lays down a funky ambient foundation. Following "Scheme," Natalie performed a solo rendition of another new song called "Panorama," which she is currently recording with the help of our team member <a contents="Enrique" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/enrique-lara" style="" target="_blank">Enrique</a>. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/452b47896d21033abb19310dea182168ac97a00c/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-13-41-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Songwriting Lessons" /></p>
<p>Following a veteran performer like Natalie can be challenging, unless you are <a contents="Kamayo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/student-of-the-month-kamayo" style="" target="_blank">Kamayo</a>. For his Showcase debut, Kamayo chose the Arctic Monkeys song "R U Mine" with full-band accompaniment. This song is a blast to play, but just after the second chorus comes a guitar solo that has one really tricky line. In rehearsal, Kamayo nailed it on the first pass but not on the second pass. Knowing he would want to correct it, we ran the section a few more times. It was clear he knew it inside and out, but the mistake was in his head. When it came time to take the stage, we were all sending him our positive energy in the hope that he would nail that specific part—and boy, did he. As soon as Kamayo nailed it, everyone in the band screamed "Yeah!" in support. It was a beautiful moment. </p>
<p>Stepping up after Kamayo was <a contents="James" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7130414/student-of-the-month-james" style="" target="_blank">James</a>, who elected to play and sing "Sanitarium" by Metallica. Now, if you know me, then you know how much I personally love Metallica. They are the band that turned my life towards music, and I'll be forever grateful. However, Metallica songs are tricky, especially ones from the classic 80s albums. Upon seeing this selection come in, I was both nervous and excited in equal parts. All that nervousness was put to rest at rehearsal when the whole band nailed the song in one pass. It was immediately apparent we would have a blast at the show, which is exactly what happened. James clearly put in a ton of work to prepare all the guitar solos and sing the song in a way that worked for his voice. James's fingers were on fire, and he should be incredibly proud. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/9dfc5624e5756970f8d8919d4d67eeb41d5053b1/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-14-02-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Stage Performance" /></p>
<p>Naomi Bernstein has been a SoundLifer since 2014. She has a history of changing things up with each performance, and this one was no different. Naomi's first selection was "Misery Business" by Paramore. How else could you follow up Metallica? Naomi took the mic and commanded the stage, hitting all those incredibly high notes and rocking out with the house band. She followed this song with an intimate vocal and piano performance of an empowering original song called "Place to Call Home." </p>
<p>Next up in a musical odyssey, we take a trip into the world of jazz with guitarist Felix. For his performance, Felix wanted to demonstrate his work in the world of improvisation, theory, and chord voicings. He chose the classic "Fly Me to the Moon" to demonstrate these skills and performed in a duo setting with me by his side—two hollow-bodied guitars and one tricky arrangement that we built week after week in Felix's guitar lessons. Upon striking the last note, Felix's smile reached from ear to ear. He nailed every section, and the relief and satisfaction were immediate. </p>
<p>Felix was followed by<a contents=" Mikayla" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-mikayla" style="" target="_blank"> Mikayla</a>, who took the stage for her second Showcase. Mikayla selected "Let It Go" from Disney's <em>Frozen</em>. As a Father of twin girls who are just four years old at the time of this writing, I can't help but know this song inside and out. When Mikayla chose to perform it, I was thrilled. She performed with a track, and we created a chord arrangement on the guitar that allowed her to play all of the piano parts. </p>
<p>Let me just say, <em>Rocky</em> is my favorite franchise of all time. I love every movie and always leave a <em>Rocky</em> movie ready to defeat the odds. When Harrison's song selection came in, I was excited to hear how he would do this classic song. Harrison chose "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor from <em>Rocky III for his performance</em>. This was Harrison's first time on stage, and he absolutely crushed it. Any nerves and fear were well controlled as he drove that guitar into submission and earned roaring applause. </p>
<p>Elias, a student of Lorenzo, has shown so much growth and engagement over the last six months that he not only participated in the Showcase with his band but also as a solo artist with the house band. For his solo selection, Elia chose "Boys Don't Cry" by the cure. Elias kicked off with the iconic guitar part and never lost his place. He demonstrated intuition and comfort in the context of a band far beyond his years. </p>
<p>So far, we have covered nearly every genre of music except hip-hop...until now. Jacob, a.k.a Stryde, is an MC and Producer with a bright future. Stryde performed an original song over an original beat called "Hoppin'," and yes, the audience was hoppin'. Stryde elected to perform with his original track instead of the band but came to rehearsal to get practice on stage. His delivery and presence on stage were fantastic. </p>
<p>For Showcase XVIII, a former bass student, Issac, who is currently a freshman in college, performed "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder. At that performance, <a contents="Guy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/6907302/student-of-the-month-guy" style="" target="_blank">Guy</a> sat in the audience and watched. He then went home and learned the entire song, told his instructor, and then texted me to ask if he could perform it in the next show. Of course, I said yes. Did I mention the bass is not his principal instrument? He's actually a drum student, but he took it upon himself to learn how to play the bass. This kind of momentum is infectious. Guy's performance was inspiring and drove home how impactful these concerts can be. </p>
<p>Next up, Ralston took the stage for two vocal selections. Ralston is a long-time student who has grown into a multi-instrumentalist across multiple disciplines. He performs with two bands, writes his own music, plays guitar, bass, and piano, and…he does musical theater. Music is in his veins. For this segment, he chose to accompany himself for "The Kids Are All Dying" by Finneas and then sing with piano accompaniment "Golden Hour" by Jvke. Both of these selections were new territory for Ralston, and we love seeing him push his own boundaries. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/436e06edc69a7917a5ef3510f663038d9bc47538/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-14-40-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Lilly stepped up to the stage after Ralston. She is an incredible vocalist and songwriter, and we always look forward to the direction she chooses for her performances. In this show, she chose to start with "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera. Lilly talked about the importance of the song to her and the meaning behind it, and her words drew the audience into her performance. She followed this up with an original song called "Pieces of Me." This song about inner strength in the face of bullying really connected with the crowd, and Lilly's soaring vocals brought people to their feet. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/75439af9d4b2414b6f62603c980af0bf7b5b035e/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-14-51-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><a contents="Nate’s" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/7117789/student-of-the-month-nate" style="" target="_blank">Nate's</a> first Showcase performance was "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. How do you follow that up? With "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne, of course. Nate came to rehearse and destroyed this song with one playthrough. With myself on bass, his instructor Lorenzo on rhythm guitar, and team member Sam on drums, Nate stepped to the front of the stage in the lead guitar role to embody the great Randy Rhoads. It was a transcendent moment. </p>
<p>New band GRB featuring Zeke and Jimmy took to the stage for their debut performance. They were joined by Justin Resnick on vocals and Zeke's father, Tony, on drums. This marks the first time Zeke stepped to the mic to sing. He took on "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen. Singing on the mic for the first time is no easy task, and we are incredibly proud of Zeke for demonstrating courage in the face of fear. Zeke crushed GRB's first song before taking the lead guitar role on Green Day's "When I Come Around." Jimmy smiled wide as he wove his way through the iconic bass part of this 90s classic. Congrats to GRB on their first show! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7710337ddde5e11a6b30e8b84b954e8e286ecc4a/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-15-26-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>GRB was followed by veteran band Orpheus, who is currently in the recording studio with Sam working on their debut EP. Orpheus entered the studio to lay down basic tracks on December 17. Their Showcase performance was an opportunity to run all the originals they planned to record so that everything felt fresh and alive in the studio. Success would be an understatement. Orpheus burned through five originals in 20 minutes, leaving the audience demanding more. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/07b080becd9f694047ce8b848bf6859822ed1f48/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-15-43-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Next up to the stage was the debut performance from Sunday, a new band composed of SoundLife students and schoolmates. Sunday rehearsed on Sundays, which is where their name comes from. With only four rehearsals, they pulled together a 20-minute show featuring songs by Billy Idol, Taylor Swift, The Pixies, and more. Sunday was having a blast playing together, and their smiles spread to the audience like wildfire. We can't wait to get back to work in 2023 to build on their incredible momentum. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/75f701906cc48bfdfb559fe1245ca174a3e5d4b4/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-15-56-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>If you have seen Hamilton, you know how important the song "Dear Theodosia" is to the storyline. In her Showcase debut, <a contents="Cree" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/7095622/student-of-the-month-cree" style="" target="_blank">Cree</a> tackled this challenging song. She sang and played along with a track that mainly served to give the audience context. Cree displayed all the characteristics of a seasoned veteran onstage. She is a star in the making. The audience went wild for the performance, and it nearly brought me to tears knowing this is only the beginning for Cree. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/946179082176e0edd5daa0ab7ae9b27f73a903a4/original/screen-shot-2022-12-29-at-1-16-31-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Rounding out the afternoon, our final two acts brought the thunder. Feedback, SoundLife legends, were one member down. Their lead guitarist fell sick the day before the show and was forced to sit out. In his place, both I and band Dad, Brian, stepped in to fill out the performance. I believe because the expectations were a bit lower, knowing that neither of us had the time to prepare the songs properly led to an incredibly fun performance. Though we were feeling our way through, the energy was fantastic, and it was clear we were all enjoying ourselves.</p>
<p>Feedback was followed by our final band, Brother. After performing solo earlier in the afternoon, Ralston returned to perform songs off his band's EP. Since I would be playing bass in his performance, I took Ralston aside and said, "Look, I am tired. It has been a long afternoon, but every ounce of energy I have left, I'm giving to you. Let's crush it." And that's exactly what happened. By the end of those three songs, the stage was wet with our sweat, and I just smiled at Ralston. We had so much fun, and it was a perfect way to end Showcase XIX. </p>
<p><strong>None of this would have been possible without the following: </strong></p>
<p>Venue – El Cid </p>
<p>Videographer – James Mccutchen </p>
<p>Audio Engineer – Hugo Vera </p>
<p>Photographer – Lex Gallegos</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>All-Star House Band </strong></p>
<p>Alex Nester – vocals / keys </p>
<p>Emily Persich – vocals / keys </p>
<p>Chris Vazquez – guitar / bass </p>
<p>Enrique Lara – drums </p>
<p>Dogan Eyeler – drums </p>
<p>Juan Vazquez – drums </p>
<p>Sam Rough – drums </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Instructors </strong></p>
<p>Anna Mezentseva – vocal / piano / songwriting </p>
<p>Lorenzo Taddei – guitar / bass / band coaching </p>
<p>Eric Potapenko – guitar / bass / production / songwriting </p>
<p>Christa Haxthausen – vocal / piano </p>
<p>Andy Hill – bass / guitar </p>
<p>Harrison Nida – guitar / vocal / songwriting / band coaching </p>
<p>Sam Rough – drums / production / songwriting / guitar / band coaching </p>
<p>Blake Estrada – bass / guitar / band coaching </p>
<p>Emily Persich – piano / vocal </p>
<p>Gabe Schwartz – drums / production </p>
<p>Caleb Gaha – drums </p>
<p>Rosh Roslin – guitar / production</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71177892022-12-05T11:04:11-08:002022-12-29T13:24:52-08:00Student of the Month: Nate<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Nate on being selected as our <br>December Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f06082a8d7b02a88739adeb133fdf9341ec483d3/original/dsc9854-hugo-bass.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Nate came into the <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> family by way of <a contents="Marlborough Summer School" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.marlboroughsummer.org/" style="" target="_blank">Marlborough Summer School</a>. This was in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. His sister had previously taken lessons with our co-founder Chris, and she recommended him to her brother. The only difference was a dozen miles and a computer screen. In the beginning, Nate attended his virtual lessons with an acoustic guitar shared by the entire family. He came to each lesson eager to learn but struggled to get the sounds he was looking for. The combination of virtual lessons and starting on an acoustic instrument, which can be challenging for the fingers, drew some mild frustration in the early days of lessons. Despite these challenges, Nate was determined to push forward, eventually passing each obstacle.</p>
<p>Nate's progress skyrocketed when in-person lessons resumed, with electric guitar in hand. By this time, he was fully addicted to guitar, music, and the lore of rock n' roll. Around this time, he joined his school "rock band" and was given the opportunity to create strong bonds through music with his classmates. It was also around this time that Nate started tinkering with his guitar, modifying it with pedals, pickups, and switches. Through Nate's experiments, many of which worked, his curiosity and fearlessness have developed into technical skills. (And as a gearhead, he is now on a first-name basis with the guitar tech at Guitar Center.) </p>
<p>In June of 2022, Nate took the <a contents="Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">Showcase</a> stage for the first time, performing "Stairway to Heaven" with our House Band. His performance stands as one of the most memorable of the day, and it led right to his next goal. When August rolled around and school resumed, Nate set out to create a band outside of school with his friends from "rock band class." Nate became a recruiter, and the band Sunday was born. On December 10, they will make their on-stage debut, and we can't wait to hear them rock the house. </p>
<p>Nate's determination, passion, and love for music are wonderful characteristics that exemplify our mission. He currently takes lessons with <a contents="Lorenzo Taddei" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/teacher-feature-lorenzo-taddei-a-sonic-jedi" style="" target="_blank">Lorenzo Taddei</a>, and his band is coached by Lorenzo and our co-founder Chris. We look forward to seeing Nate continue to grow both on his instrument and within his band. Congratulations, Nate!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/71177702022-12-05T10:17:52-08:002022-12-06T10:01:21-08:00Mick Goodrick: Educator for Generations<p>On November 16, 2022, the world lost an unparalleled educator. His name is Mick Goodrick, and for a time, he was my teacher. Mick began playing the guitar in his pre-teens after hearing Elvis and started his performing career shortly after. He attended Berklee College of Music from 1963-1967, after which he joined Gary Burton's touring band before eventually settling into a five-decade career in music education. During that time, Mick helped shape some of the most influential names in modern guitar, including <a contents="John Scofield" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.johnscofield.com/" style="" target="_blank">John Scofield</a>, <a contents="Mike Stern" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.mikestern.org/" style="" target="_blank">Mike Stern</a>, <a contents="Julian Lage" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.julianlage.com/" style="" target="_blank">Julian Lage</a>, and <a contents="Bill Frisell" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.billfrisell.com/" style="" target="_blank">Bill Frisell</a>. His book <em><a contents="“The Advancing Guitarist”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Advancing-Guitarist-Mick-Goodrick/dp/0881885894" style="" target="_blank">The Advancing Guitarist</a></em> is a cornerstone of guitar literature. In 2020, Mick retired from teaching due to complications from Parkinson's. He lived until age 77. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e3f864fcc5b1ec0eb13e0592fbb49c27e2d6722f/original/screen-shot-2022-12-05-at-8-42-37-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Mick Goodrick" />So what made this man so special? It is hard to summarize. When I started at Berklee College of Music in 2004, Mick was already a legend. In my first two years, I bounced around with different private instructors and noticed that everyone I admired had learned from Mick. It became my obsession to become one of his students. But being the celebrity that he was, Mick had a long waiting list and only accepted certain students. Each semester I would apply and get denied until finally, in my senior year, I was accepted as his private student for the Fall 2006 semester. I would spend the next year working with Mick, expanding my mind, losing it, and then finding it all over again. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/11666e9fa2a3739ff5828ad00472ecdeba3bc5be/original/screen-shot-2022-12-05-at-8-44-25-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Berklee College of Music" />You see, Mick was not a warm and fuzzy personality. He had high expectations. Hugs and high-fives were not his thing. Mick's mission, as it pertained to our lessons, was to help me find my own voice by understanding and using his set of tools that have helped countless guitarists access limitless creative possibilities.</p>
<p>One funny thing I remember about that time was that my lesson came right after legendary guitarist Julian Lage's lesson with Mick. I would always go early to listen in on his lesson, and by the time my lesson started, I was scared to death. Julian would come out and be all nice and humble while my face looked a lighter shade of pale.</p>
<p>Once I walked into Mick's office, he would have pictures of his previous students and friends on his desk facing outward. So there I am, sitting down for my lesson and staring at <a contents="Pat Metheny" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.patmetheny.com/" style="" target="_blank">Pat Metheny</a>, John Scofield, and Mike Stern, thinking, "Do I really belong here?" It was very intimidating, but one of the beautiful things about Mick was that he knew by creating fear, we were also creating an opportunity to walk into and overcome it. </p>
<p>My time with Mick gave me tools I use daily in my professional life. During the year I studied with him, I dove deep into his concepts on improvisation, voice leading, various melodic approaches, chord substitution, comping, and much more. Mick assumed that your fundamentals were firmly understood by the time you took lessons with him. He had no interest in style, technique, or traditional theory. Those things had to either already be learned or learned somewhere else. Mick's sole focus was opening up a student's brain to solve musical problems in real-time and to create without obstruction.</p>
<p>In my pursuit to grasp his concepts, I had papers all over my apartment bedroom, on the walls, and on the floor. It probably looked like I had become unhinged. At the time, I didn't realize how the lessons I was learning would affect me later in life. I just trusted the process. Even though I left feeling disappointed and unworthy most weeks, I kept coming back. Before my senior recital, I had my last lesson with Mick. In that lesson, he didn't congratulate me or give me a send-off hug. He said, "It was a pleasure. Always look forward and never stop questioning. Godspeed." </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Advancing-Guitarist-Mick-Goodrick/dp/0881885894" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/25cc222e7e42cdb54cc2beb183e51ee0cf0ce6e3/original/screen-shot-2022-12-05-at-8-44-00-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="The Advancing Guitarist" /></a>As I entered into my professional career, I realized year by year that Mick really was the guru everyone said he was. Mick changed how I fundamentally think about music. He empowered me, and for that, I will be forever grateful. The tools Mick created are woven into the foundation of <a contents="SoundLife’s mission" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" style="" target="_blank">SoundLife's mission</a>. Teaching students how to think for themselves, believe in themselves, and constantly look forward are all byproducts of Mick's work. The big difference is that we're fine with hugs and high-fives. </p>
<p>Mick will be greatly missed by many, but his work will be around forever. Mick lives on through his literature and his students. In his final years, he was busier than ever, trying to organize all his teachings so they could eventually be released. He was truly dedicated to creating materials that help musicians overcome themselves, and that, to me, is the distinction that makes Mick an iconic educator for a generation of musicians.</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care in sharing inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70956222022-11-04T10:13:42-07:002022-11-15T09:49:54-08:00Student of the Month: Cree<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Cree on being selected as our <br>November Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/38686b5126343e33c69b22df569bc8aeadbf91fd/original/img-8423.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>Cree's SoundLife journey began in the Summer of 2022 at Marlborough Summer in Hancock Park. For the last 10 years, our co-founder <a contents="Chris" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" style="" target="_blank">Chris</a> has been teaching for this amazing program. Luckily for Chris, he got to meet the amazingly bright and determined Cree. During the five weeks at Marlborough, Cree worked diligently through her song list, knocking out song after song and building foundational skills in the process. At a certain point, Cree informed Chris that she wanted to play and sing the now-classic Ed Sheeran song "Thinking Out Loud" for her grandmother's birthday.</p>
<p>This noble cause was an inspiring project, and Chris set the goal for Cree to do a test run of the performance at the end of the 5-week program. The performance was a huge success, and in August, Cree enrolled in lessons with SoundLife. She began studying with our musical wizard <a contents="Sam" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/teacher-feature-a-musical-wizard-samuel-ruff" style="" target="_blank">Sam</a>, who instantly saw the same determination and focus. In September, Cree finally performed the song for her grandmother, and the video her parents sent us just about brought our whole team to happy tears. </p>
<p>On Saturday, December 10, Cree will take the stage for her first Showcase. She has been working hard on a piece from the musical <em>Hamilton</em>, and we can't wait to hear what she's been cooking up. Cree is a model student, and we love to see her set goals and check them off the list one by one. Go, Cree! </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Cree! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/76334c0c44dcf050090459eef1e7c297c997500e/original/img-8431.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/ etc? </strong> </p>
<p>Cree: What I like the best about playing guitar is that I can learn new songs. Even if they’re challenging that’s what makes it the most fun!! My inspiration is Ed Sheeran. He inspired me to play guitar and now that I’ve been playing guitar for about a year Ive gotten better and have learned 8 of his songs! </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></p>
<p>Cree: My ultimate goal in music is to get better, learn more songs, and master acoustic guitar if I just work hard, don’t quit, and rise up...I just might. I hope that when I grow up I could be a musician if I worked hard and did my best!!</p>
<p><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)? </strong></p>
<p>Cree: My all time favorite artist is Ed Sheeran,I probably would be struggling at guitar right now if it wasn’t for Ed Sheeran’s motivation and inspiration from all of his songs. Each and every day I practice guitar and listen to Ed Sheeran while playing it. Ed Sheeran is my idol.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70940892022-11-04T10:10:19-07:002022-11-07T10:51:09-08:00No Student Left Behind<p style="line-height:1.38"><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">The phrase "no man left behind" can be traced back to the French and Indian War, which lasted from 1744 to 1748. During this time, American frontier soldier Robert Rogers led a 600-man militia group called Rogers' Raiders. Rogers outlined a specific set of regimented rules for the group, and it set the standard for many of today's military guidelines. One policy was to make sure every member was accounted for after each battle. Members of the Raiders went on to fight in the American Revolutionary War, and their motto of "no man left behind" became a central fixture in the U.S. Military protocol. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Behind the scenes at <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a>, we have one principal action that supports our mission to develop creativity and confidence through music. That action is summarized in the phrase, "no student left behind." Much like Rogers, we aim to ensure everyone is accounted for. Once accounted for, we must go a step beyond to reach students, listen to them, and support them every step of the way.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fb28eb62a6cb22e403f36895485f17bde443b3b4/original/2014-06-01-soundlife-recital-479.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">The "how" of this noble goal is an ever-evolving set of services, processes, and opportunities—all inspired by students themselves. Our first Showcase was created as a response to students' needs. Way back in 2014, when Chris was the sole instructor for SoundLife, he worked with kids in nearly every area of Los Angeles. They were growing as artists, but without any application for their skills, </span></span></span></span></span></span>they were limited<span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">. Chris saw this as a call to action and put together a small concert in a colleague's backyard to give these students an opportunity to meet one another and share their talents. Thus, the <a contents="Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" style="" target="_blank">Showcase</a> was born. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">After that very first Showcase, Chris asked his students what he could do to improve the experience. "What would be the coolest thing you could do with your instrument?" he said. From these conversations, Chris realized the kids needed a stage, lights, and the feeling of looking out at an audience. He found an old rehearsal facility with a well-known showcase room in the back where record label showcases had been held for decades. Hence, the name "Showcase." During this time, Chris was working with a band composed of triplets, appropriately called The Trips. These young rock stars were highly developed as a band. Chris saw a win/win opportunity to give other students the experience of playing with a band while also making The Trips the very first SoundLife House Band. Thus, the House Band was born.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">After playing with a band, many students inquired about having their own band, just like The Trips. Parents began recruiting and creating bands for their kids while Chris put together bands composed of his own students. The result of these efforts was the birth of our <a contents="“Band Coaching”" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" style="" target="_blank">Band Coaching</a> program, which helps already formed bands excel under the instruction of professional musicians and helps connect students with other players to form new bands. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/956a3837891086ddb305f91c7d76a9a39335afba/original/img-2139.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="The Showcase Room" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">In the years that followed, Chris continued to develop the student experience by adding <a contents="Recording" data-link-label="Recording Program" data-link-type="page" href="/recording-program" style="" target="_blank">Recording</a>, <a contents="Songwriting" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" style="" target="_blank">Songwriting</a>, and Production Programs, along with quarterly <a contents="Jam Session" data-link-label="Student Jams" data-link-type="page" href="/student-jams" style="" target="_blank">Jam Sessions</a>. In 2022, longtime SoundLife student and artist Natalie Bernstein went through the very first Production Program. She had developed first as an instrumentalist, then as a songwriter, and had reached the point where the next logical step was recording and releasing her own music. In the spirit of "no student left behind," Chris created a program that allowed Natalie to realize her dream. <a contents='Check out her first single "Adrenaline" here' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6w2r4WzDSMx39IoexpDIry?si=FChrBFe_TyG79fl8WwByhA" style="" target="_blank">Check out her first single, "Adrenaline," here</a>. At the time of this writing, </span></span></span></span></span></span>Brother, <span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">a band coached by SoundLife, is putting the finishing touches on their EP. Another band, Orpheus, is preparing to enter the studio.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Since the early days in the showcase room, SoundLife has hosted the concert experience at several venues. Our current home is one of the oldest venues in Los Angeles, <a contents="El Cid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.elcidsunset.com/" target="_blank">El Cid</a>. But even this is not forever; as the students grow, we must evolve to meet their needs. In developing our mission to instill creativity and help students develop their own creative voice and the courage to express it, Chris took the House Band one step further in 2021 by bringing in professional session musicians to work with the performers. Their expertise helped ensure that students' goals could be realized fully and that they could perform from a place of confidence, knowing they were backed up by LA's finest. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/747e87bea147413624bec65a68590f1acaeff852/original/natalie-then-and-now-1.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">On December 10, 2022, SoundLife will host its 18th Showcase, which will celebrate and honor our current students and their big, noble goals. Natalie will be performing her newest single, Brother will be playing songs from their new EP, Orpheus will be debuting brand new originals, new bands and solo performers will take the stage for the first time, and magic will happen. To us, SoundLife is a living, breathing community. We are students and dreamers ourselves, and as such, we will never stop learning, growing, and reaching higher toward our mission. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size:11pt; font-variant:normal; white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">If you are a SoundLife student or parent reading this and are unaware of all that we offer at SoundLife beyond music lessons or how to participate, <a contents=" please reach out" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:chris@soundlifelessons.com" style="" target="_blank">please reach out</a>. Let's set up a meeting to discuss your goals and how we can help bring them to life. We're ready, and we're listening.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70735272022-10-03T11:38:26-07:002022-11-02T14:27:53-07:00Student of the Month: Ozzy<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Ozzy on being selected as our <br>October Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/91eddd6325755c3b9459a6a54858ae7bb4909b1b/original/screen-shot-2022-09-30-at-11-04-59-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Piano Student" /></strong></p>
<p>Ozzy started piano lessons with our instructor <a contents="Enrique" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/enrique-lara" target="_blank">Enrique</a> in January of 2022. He was hungry to learn, and Enrique quickly noticed his incredible ear and sensibility for detail in music. Ozzy has a natural musical intuition. He stays focused, and just like the picture above, is a natural on stage. </p>
<p>In preparation for his first SoundLife Showcase, Ozzy took on the great challenge of learning "Let It Be" by The Beatles. This classic piano song is a must-learn for any new student, but it always helps when a student knows the band and the song and feels connected to it. Music can be challenging, and gratification can take time, but Ozzy was willing to put in the work. When played correctly, "Let It Be" is a two-handed piano piece, perfect for teaching independence between the hands, song form, and timing.</p>
<p>Learning the song was just the first step. Ozzy took it to the next level by performing "Let It Be" with our All-Star House Band live on stage, in front of a packed house. He didn't flinch. These are the moments when students really solidify all of their work during lessons. In the middle of the performance, Ozzy became slightly off in the form, but he quickly caught right back on and nailed all of the key moments in the song. Through these experiences, musicians learn a heightened sense of musical awareness. At the end of the performance, the crowd erupted. His performance was a true joy to be part of. </p>
<p>In Enrique's words, "Ozzy's passion and ability to connect with his peers through music shone through and made for a beautiful rendition of a classic Beatles song. I'm looking forward to guiding him through his next endeavor, be it making music with his piano or production."</p>
<p>Thank you, Ozzy, for sharing your passion and hard work with our community. We look forward to seeing what you do next!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Ozzy! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/ etc? </strong></p>
<p>Ozzy: I like having the concerts and showing my friends what I’ve learned. </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong> </p>
<p>Ozzy: playing Rush E on the piano </p>
<p><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)? </strong></p>
<p>Ozzy: Ozzy Osbourne, because I was named after him. And because I love his radio station called “Ozzy’s boneyard”.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70712152022-09-30T10:35:21-07:002022-10-04T09:40:25-07:00My Journey: Turning Fear into Creativity and Confidence <h3><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b34d2283c80aac554b529f6ae8c15f66d12f0670/original/dsc4067.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Photo Credit: Brian Zaik" /></h3>
<h3><b>Impressionable Years</b></h3>
<p>In July of 2021, I wrote an article for our SoundLife blog called <a contents="“Overcoming Fear With Music.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/overcoming-fear-with-music" style="" target="_blank">"Overcoming Fear with Music."</a> In this article, I talked about various ways music can help people face fears, and I used myself as an example. I told a story about performing in a 7th-grade talent show in front of the whole school and being laughed off the stage. The result of this incident was a fear of singing in public. From then on, I went out of my way to avoid singing in front of people. Very few people to this day have heard me sing. Today, I am very happy to announce a further update on my personal journey in facing fear through music.</p>
<p>After this disastrous performance in middle school, I dove deep into my instrument and persevered to become a musician. At age 14, I enrolled at the Baltimore School for the Arts. At 18, I began my college studies at Berklee College of Music. At 22, I took my first job as a musician working on a cruise ship. At 24, I moved to Los Angeles. And by the age of 27, I took my first national tour, and since then, I have never had to look for work as a guitar player. For the last several years, I have worked with Air Supply, Leona Lewis, Andre Cymone, Anthony Evans, and many other incredible artists, agencies, and bands locally, nationally, and internationally. I have been blessed. But this fear of singing had not gone away. </p>
<h3><strong>A Call to Action</strong></h3>
<p>When I discovered that my wife was pregnant with twins in 2018, I had to take stock of all my fears to ensure that I did not pass them on to my children. I wrote down a list and then prioritized that list. After it was complete, two things stood out at the top. The first was my fear of singing in public. The second was a fear of technology and being left behind. The second one might come as a surprise considering what we do at SoundLife and the type of work I do outside of the school. However, it is important to know that as a musician, when I moved to Los Angeles and began working my way up the ladder, being an engineer was not required. Auditions at that time were in person. I learned the songs and then performed them alongside various other musicians until the powers-that-be found the winning combination they were looking for. I did not need to play multiple instruments. I did not need to sing, and I did not need to run tracks, build playback sessions, and edit stems.</p>
<p>As time passed, it became increasingly important for musicians to be multi-instrumentalists, build and edit sessions, and run live performance tracks. As this happened, I fell further and further behind my peers and developed a fear and anxiety around learning something that seemed so foreign to me. It was a classic case of imposter syndrome. Nonetheless, I stayed plenty busy building a strong reputation by taking the work I felt confident in and passing on the work that might expose my fears. </p>
<p>So there I sat with this list, these fears, and two little girls on the way. In May of 2018, just months before I was to become a father, I began a long process of facing these two great fears. I began the process slowly by writing down a list of folk songs, children's songs, and popular classics to learn on the guitar and sing for my children. When my girls were born, I sang for them every chance I could, developing a bedtime routine to sing for them as they got older. Then I began to sing in social settings around friends and at jam sessions with other musicians. Then it evolved into singing backup on gigs...and even lead vocals on a few songs per set with a cover band. As I became more confident, I started to write music again for myself.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b9410530ce08ba37916003c4fc7ed7c6b0b4df14/original/dsc4107.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h3><b>Leading by Example</b></h3>
<p>Then came 2020. At the beginning of 2020, my business partner Mike and I had incredibly high hopes for what <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" style="" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> would accomplish in the year to come. But in March of 2020, we were hit with the harsh reality that Covid-19 would forever change our business. Within a two-week time period, SoundLife lost 30% of our student base. Mike and I came together and committed to giving the students who stuck with us a truly special experience and providing our team of instructors with increased stability while they could no longer perform. We were determined to give students as much of what was taken away from them as we could. This meant connection, experience, community, support, growth, and most importantly, fun. To do this, we knew technology was the answer to organizing students remotely. This turned into a series of <a contents="three virtual concerts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKSi6hFOVHs" style="" target="_blank">three virtual concerts</a>—all of which were a great success. </p>
<p>To feel a sense of competence throughout this process, I had to build a modest home studio. This resulted in the article <a contents="“My Affordable Home Studio Adventure.” " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/my-affordable-home-studio-adventure-for-students-parents-professional-musicians" style="" target="_blank">"My Affordable Home Studio Adventure."</a> The time to face my second fear had come. With this new equipment, I endeavored to record the songs I had been writing as a way to assimilate quickly. As I recorded, I learned more and more, and I felt a healthy sense of competition with our students who were also participating alongside us. Their resiliency and openness to new concepts, processes, projects, and technologies inspired me daily. Our students blew us away; as teachers, that is exactly what we hope for. </p>
<p>As the months turned into years, I took stock of the songs I had recorded and realized that to continue to face my fears, I needed to release these songs. I needed to finish them, have them mixed and mastered, and put them out for the world to hear. I needed to let the world hear me sing. In mid-2022 I received the final masters back for my first EP, <em>Silent Man</em>, and began the process of having artwork created and submitting the songs to distribution. Around this time, I stood in my yard and saw not a play area for my kids but a concert venue under the stars.</p>
<p>I committed myself to take my journey of facing the fear of singing one step further by performing these songs for a live audience in a stripped-down acoustic format. In this format, I could not hide behind the recording studio, technology, or band. I couldn't hide behind anything. I asked two of my long-time friends, <a contents="Enrique Lara" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/enrique-lara" style="" target="_blank">Enrique Lara</a>, who works with us at SoundLife, and <a contents="Justin Resnick" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/6987297/chat-w-pros-episode-7-w-justin-resnick-a-game-plan-of-support" style="" target="_blank">Justin Resnick</a>, who I've known for over 25 years, to perform alongside me with just two guitars, percussion, and three-part vocal arrangements. I invited 25 of my closest friends and family to the event, and we converted our yard into an enchanting outdoor venue. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2cf84299161b754f5584dbd9700c1a4cc4c65cac/original/silentman-artwork-square-2022-09-22.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Silent Man EP Chris Vazquez" /></p>
<p>On Friday, September 23, <a contents="“Silent Man”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/chrisvazquez/silent-man" target="_blank">"Silent Man"</a> was released on all streaming platforms. The concert happened two days later on Sunday, September 25. On that day, I performed the entire record along with one new song that I played and sang by myself. As we struck the last chord of the last song, the people in attendance all stood to their feet in applause. I had prepared stories for each song, along with a summarized version of this story so that people had the context. They understood what this meant and why I chose to do it.</p>
<p>The journey will continue in many ways, but this moment felt like an arrival. I do not personally have the ambition to become an artist outside of the work that I already do. My calling is to be a teacher and a leader, to practice what we preach at SoundLife, and be the change we wish to inspire in others. SoundLife is about giving students an environment where they can flourish, conquer their fears, and hopefully prevent some fears from affecting them throughout their lives. To do this, we must be a culture living by example, challenging ourselves, and continually growing so that our students see it, experience it, and are inspired to do it themselves. </p>
<p>The friends who were at this event were clearly moved and inspired themselves. This is the ultimate goal. Since beginning this journey, I have served as musical director—building sessions and running playback—for a number of artists. I engineer my own guitar sessions, I'm happy to take gigs that require me to sing, and I continue to write and record my music just for the sake of it. I hope that by sharing this story, our students can feel inspired and their parents can know a little bit more about how we as a company think. This is me being very honest, extremely vulnerable, and telling you that you can do it, and we can help. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CbVD7fI_nJg" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/CbVD7fI_nJg/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CbVD7fI_nJg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>*This concert was recorded and will be included on the B-Side of a vinyl pressing being issued in November.</p>
<p>**Concert Photos by <a contents="Brian Zaik." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://zaik.co/" target="_blank">Brian Zaik.</a> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70510462022-09-01T10:56:06-07:002022-09-29T12:10:11-07:00Student of the Month: Kamayo<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Kamayo on being selected as our <br>September Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5736b7fd4b6e1f9781325a7a8b2a8a00f9cf75f0/original/kamayo-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Student Of The Month" /></strong></p>
<p>Kamayo has been part of the SoundLife family for over a year, studying the guitar under the guidance of <a contents="Enrique Lara" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/enrique-lara" style="" target="_blank">Enrique Lara</a>. According to Enrique, Kamayo began making rapid progress from the start. He is a very dedicated student, and his attendance alone is something we rarely see. Currently, his attendance is 89%, having only missed six lessons in the last year. </p>
<p>Kamayo's passion and discipline make for a strong combination. He has already transitioned into initiating new challenges for himself. Enrique commented, "I am thrilled to see him well on his way to becoming a well-rounded guitar player and finding his voice in music!" </p>
<p>On the path to finding his voice, Kamayo takes it upon himself to research guitars and guitarists. He is currently fascinated with heavy metal but also loves playing some Nile Rogers-style funk. Congratulations, Kamayo, on your growth and passion for music. We're looking forward to seeing you continue to grow! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4c2171328abde24de80c1c8701dd196f6311dce4/original/kamayo-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Student Of The Month" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Kamayo! </strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about music education? </strong> </p>
<p>What I like most about taking guitar lessons is how they help me improve my playing and learn new songs! My teacher is very helpful when learning solos or hard parts of songs.</p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></p>
<p>My ultimate goal in music is to join a band and just have fun playing.</p>
<p><strong>Who is your favorite artist/singer/player? </strong> </p>
<p>My favorite guitarist is Kirk Hammett of Metallica. I love the riffs that he writes. He is also part Filipino, which is really cool because I'm Filipino.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70266132022-07-29T11:39:00-07:002022-09-01T10:54:58-07:00Band of the Month: Orpheus<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Orpheus on being selected as our <br>August Band of the Month! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/06313fb10cf05d4333acead3ec919daefd34b795/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-42-01-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Band Coaching" /></p>
<p>The world needs to watch out for <a contents='"Orpheus!"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/orpheus_band/" style="" target="_blank">Orpheus</a>! This group of young men came to SoundLife in the Fall of 2021. At the time, they were regrouping post-pandemic, getting reacquainted with their material, and hungry to play shows. In comes the <a contents='"Band Coach"' data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" style="" target="_blank">"Band Coach"</a> to help whip them into shape, so to speak, but what we discovered along the way is deeper and more exciting than we could have imagined. </p>
<p>Meet Cole (vocals/keys), Michael (guitar/vocals), Brady (bass/vocals), and Corbin (drums). These four young musicians possess not only abilities beyond their years but a knowledge of and passion for music that gives their band limitless potential. Formed when Michael and Cole were just eight years old, Orpheus has a long history for a band of such young talent. Although members stepped in and out, this lineup has a chemistry and magic that is hard to find. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cf3ad93ebe9c476c43aa5c22a69c2c6a8dca5a2a/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-41-48-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Band Coaching" /></p>
<p>In their very first rehearsal with SoundLife, the band sat down to discuss their intentions, song selections, and overall goals. They wanted two things above all else: to play live and write original material. Since then, Orpheus has performed in two Showcases, two charity events, clubs, and a winery. From their first show post-pandemic to now, their setlist has grown to encompass up to two hours of music. </p>
<p>Following their performances at <a contents="Universal Bar &amp; Grill" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.universalbarandgrill.com/" style="" target="_blank">Universal Bar & Grill</a> in North Hollywood and <a contents="El Cid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.elcidsunset.com/" style="" target="_blank">El Cid</a> in Silver Lake, Orpheus came together and decided to take time away from preparing for shows to write original music and prepare to record their first EP. We are proud to report that at the time of this writing, Orpheus has a strong selection of original material and is in the pre-production phase of recording. </p>
<p>Congratulations to all of the members of Orpheus. They are a joy to work with and inspire our team to meet them where they are and help them reach beyond. Stay tuned in the coming months as they work to put their stamp on rock n' roll history. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6edb61b46533e66c45566b8813ebdbd26c1537bc/original/orpheus-flyer-universal-bar-grill-11-12-21.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Orpheus Live Flyer" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70248772022-07-27T10:32:47-07:002023-12-10T10:10:02-08:00Teacher Feature: Lorenzo Taddei, a Sonic Jedi<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Teacher Feature showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with but should be! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1265db1c34a8a30391a9fb98d92d1d302f031ce5/original/lorenzo-studio-51.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" />Part of what makes <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" style="" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> such a special community are the stories behind our incredible team of mentors. A music teacher is not just a technician relating a skill, but an individual whose passion for music has gifted them with big dreams and guided them through an adventurous life, eventually leading them to your home for music coaching. Lorenzo Taddei exemplifies this multi-faceted person, bringing his expertise and his well-traveled, worldly spirit to our community. </p>
<p>Born in Rome, Italy, Lorenzo received his bachelor’s and master’s degree equivalent from <a contents="Santa Cecilia Conservatory" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.conservatoriosantacecilia.it/ectsds/" style="" target="_blank">Santa Cecilia Conservatory</a> in Rome. If that was not enough education, Lorenzo followed his dream to the United States to study at the world-renowned <a contents="Berklee College Of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" style="" target="_blank">Berklee College of Music</a>. In 2022, Lorenzo received a bachelor’s degree from Berklee in Contemporary Writing & Production. With his education behind him and the future wide open, Lorenzo relocated from Boston to Los Angeles to set new goals and reach even higher toward his dreams. </p>
<p>Though his principal instrument is the guitar, Lorenzo is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and gifted music producer. He works as a composer for various production houses, including <a contents="CheerSounds" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.cheersounds.com/" style="" target="_blank">CheerSounds</a> & <a contents="Droid Mafia" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.droidmafia.com/" style="" target="_blank">Droid Mafia</a>, as a freelance guitarist, and as an instructor passing on his Jedi ways. A versatile musician, Lorenzo can teach not only the <a contents="guitar" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons" target="_blank">guitar</a> at all levels but also the <a contents="bass" data-link-label="Bass Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/bass-lessons" style="" target="_blank">bass</a>, beginning <a contents="piano" data-link-label="Keyboard & Piano Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/keyboard-piano-lessons" target="_blank">piano</a>, <a contents="music production" data-link-label="Recording Program" data-link-type="page" href="/recording-program" target="_blank">music production</a>, <a contents="songwriting" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank">songwriting</a>, and <a contents="band coaching" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" target="_blank">band coaching</a>. This skill set allows Lorenzo to see what students need to grow and help them fully realize their goals. His passion ensures the joy of learning music is part of the process, being both fun and engaging for every student. </p>
<p>We are thrilled to share Lorenzo's story with our community. His students benefit not only from his incredible intellect but from the entirety of his musical journey. In each student, our teachers see themselves at the beginning and are reminded of how impactful music can genuinely be. Music education is a vehicle for all those who endeavor to learn. Nobody knows where it will take you, but having an experienced guide like Lorenzo is a game-changer.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/436288b35a6d104faa67bb8dbbbcf6d8c82af567/original/lorenzo-studio-14.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70078672022-07-05T10:10:23-07:002022-07-22T12:09:24-07:00Student of the Month: Aidan<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Aidan on being selected as our <br>July Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/10a39888fcb7ea0325dae8551ec2d8d48a07f375/original/screen-shot-2022-07-05-at-9-46-29-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>This month we celebrate and say farewell to Aidan, a pillar of our SoundLife community. His humility, empathy, and positivity have helped influence and inspire our community over the last four years. </p>
<p>Aidan came to SoundLife in 2018 as a voice student with our instructor Mark. He went on to join the band Brother under the guidance of both our Program Director, Chris, and our instructor Sam. In this band, Aidan formed a strong bond with his co-captain, Ralston—writing, performing, and recording multiple original songs and interpretation of covers. Aidan also worked with our instructor Christa and eventually added the guitar and keyboard to his toolkit of skills. </p>
<p>At his first Showcase appearance, Aidan calmly walked on stage after another performer's set. Without prompting, he thanked the other performer for his bravery and for sharing funk and Latin music with everyone. This single act exemplifies our core values of kindness and inclusivity, and it showed everyone how to take a simple action toward lifting someone else up.</p>
<p>Since his first performance with SoundLife, Aidan has grown in strides. His sense of songs, his strengths, and his songwriting developed with every passing month, as did his confidence and enthusiasm. For his final performance, Aidan chose "Fix You" by Coldplay, along with Foo Fighters' "My Hero" as a tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins. "Fix You" perfectly captured his journey with SoundLife, bringing it from the first performance, through the pandemic, and back to the stage full circle.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d55cfe7ae7eced8fd122e693a33fea6df2d88ee0/original/img-7447.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Thank you for choosing SoundLife to be your musical community, Aidan. We wish you the best of luck in everything you do!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/70066322022-07-05T09:27:42-07:002023-12-10T10:08:31-08:00Concert Summary: SoundLife Showcase XVII<p>It's no secret. SoundLife Showcases are an event not to be missed. When the stage lights come on, students are nowhere to be found. In their places are artists, songwriters, bands, and rising stars. </p>
<p>As a musician and a founder of the school, the butterflies start swelling in my stomach the night before. I typically walk through what I want to say, go over all our checklists, pack everything up, and then begin the long process of sending positive energy to every performer. This inevitably brings me back to my own childhood and the musical opportunities and experiences that shaped me. I hope we'll always create some special moments that will push performers into the next phase of their growth while also creating unforgettable memories and bringing performers, families, and friends closer. </p>
<p>On June 4, 2022, our creative community gathered for our 17th SoundLife Showcase at the historic El Cid in Silver Lake. Behind the scenes, our staff arrived at 9:00 am to set the stage, soundcheck, and prepare for a full day of music. </p>
<h3>Rising Stars </h3>
<p>The Showcase began with our "Rising Stars." These are experienced solo performers, first-time performers, and younger bands. Our first star was Cormac, who performed a beautiful classical piece called "Vivace." Going first is never easy, but Cormac is a seasoned performer—both solo and with his band. He walked to the side of the stage, poised and ready. His piece perfectly set the tone for the first part of the afternoon, relaxing the less-experienced performers who were scheduled to follow him. Cormac would take the stage again in the latter parts of our show with his two bands, Sweatervest and Feedback.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/69a363057c645f80f8f258ef57970abe5bcc2243/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-07-11-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Keyboard Student" /></p>
<p>Riley's second in-person Showcase was exactly what we also hoped for. It clearly displayed his growth as both a performer and an instrumentalist. Riley sang and played the song "7 Years" by Lukas Graham. Since Riley was 11 at the time of this performance, it was beautiful to hear him sing the line "Once I was 11 years old."</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b8d933c56c30d6ee023cc8f68be57a16ba60aaca/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-09-11-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Piano Student" /></p>
<p>Following Riley was Lenna in her second appearance on our Showcase stage, and she stood side stage with a smile. Lenna played through "Lover" by Taylor Swift, showcasing a more comprehensive understanding of song form, chordal playing, and timing. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/effb3d6742d59f152093bf4ded5425b3188941fb/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-09-51-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Lenna Piano Student" /></p>
<p>Our first guitarist of the afternoon was Evan in his second Showcase performance. Evan played through a song called "Black Sky" by Arrows to Athens from Pokemon. This song demonstrated the use of power chords, which Evan was determined to master. At his young age, he's ahead of the game. Impressed by his focus and determination, the crowd erupted when he hit the final note. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ea07610ee40e1aa912367c888dbaa75904a6ea94/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-16-58-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Evan was followed by his sister, Mikayla. She decided to sing and play "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Encanto. Mikayla's hard work was fully displayed as she sang and rapped all the parts while holding down the chords over an instrumental backing track. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a25400c80fc306f8839c8ae4fa7ed53bcb02ce17/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-17-49-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Mikayla Guitar Student" /></p>
<p>Up next was Stella in her debut Showcase performance. Stella played through a perfect rendition of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" by Tchaikovsky. This classic holiday favorite was the perfect vehicle to showcase the independence between her two hands, her dexterity, and her focus. Being her first performance, we are excited to see how she builds on this experience.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/15f47b11d82a67c8555fe7a016e2c6ef5c495f95/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-18-10-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Stella Piano Student" /></p>
<p>Closing out the Rising Stars portion of our show was Laurel with a stunning performance in French. Yes, Laurel sang in French, and it was one of the most moving parts of the afternoon. Laurel is another veteran of the SoundLife stage. With each performance, she challenges herself in new ways, but tackling another language was a game-changer. Laurel performed "Je te laisserai des mots" by Patrick Watson, and the room was silent. Her voice, accompanied by her piano, suspended time and took the audience on a journey to the cafes of Paris.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/93829dbf53e7606c4944c4686fb714fdcb65e20e/original/screen-shot-2022-07-02-at-5-18-40-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Laurel Piano Student" /></p>
<h3><strong>All-Star House Band</strong></h3>
<p>After a brief turnover on stage, our house band featuring premier session musicians and SoundLife staff took the stage to supplement student bands and play behind our songwriters and artists. For this Showcase, our house band featured Alex Nester (American Idol, Urban Renewal Project), Michael Torres (Macy Grey, Selena Gomez), Zak St. John (White Buffalo, Corey Taylor), and myself (Air Supply, Leona Lewis).</p>
<p>The first band was Undefined Rock. Featuring Riley again on vocals and key, Kourosh on guitar, and Devon on bass, this power trio kicked off with "Hotel California" by The Eagles. Kourosh nailed all of the intricate guitar solo, including the epic finale. For their closer, Undefined Rock treated the audience to "Gold on the Ceiling" by The Black Keys.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ecef1ee7c0e3d8a5dfdf73e72d33896b68c2f38c/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-22-16-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Kourosh Guitar Student" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7126079f9598186f56000ddf01a12da281d54e6f/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-22-03-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" />Stepping up for his debut performance was Ozzy, and with a name like that, he was born to rock. Ozzy sat intensely focused on the task at hand, tackling the iconic "Let It Be" by the Beatles. From beginning to end, Ozzy locked in with the band, allowing Alex to deliver this beautiful melody to Ozzy's adoring fans.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e7470dc248c3afec610626d41a99c3e54fb8aa30/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-23-33-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>In a SoundLife first, Jacob took the stage to perform an original rap entitled "Back & Forth." Jacob's spitfire lyrics were delivered with authority over an incredible instrumental beat he produced with his teacher Eric's help. This also marked Jacob's first SoundLife performance. Now that the seeds are planted, we're chomping at the bit to see what he does next.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f902ac84f6522d8e64f62109d7e03a3635fb8ca4/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-23-02-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>In their final performance as a duo, Brother delivered another showstopper. Ralston penned two originals entitled "Over My Head" and "Feeling." As frontman/guitarist Aidan heads off to college, we look forward to seeing how Ralston continues to develop as a bandleader and writer. We also wish Aidan all the best and are so grateful for the memories he gave us.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/528552af31dae64be321fc8a9bf39d9a962d5a51/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-26-09-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5089cc3c744969e8110a924e39ed6982caa0cbcf/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-26-16-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>For the first time since the pandemic, Julian returned to the stage with a scorching performance of "Hayloft II" by Mother Mother. This dark and cynical song is a rocker, showcasing Julian's outside-of-the-box creative voice and giving the band a platform to headbang for nearly three straight minutes. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2db14c6ce3b5e68c2b01c7421a618514230d63eb/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-26-39-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Student" />Nate the Great made his SoundLife debut with the one song no one is allowed to play in a music store. Can you guess? Yes, the immortal "Stairway to Heaven." Nate played through a condensed four-and-a-half-minute version with the full band, featuring the entire guitar solo. Nate's performance moved the audience as they sat entranced, waiting to hear their favorite parts of the rock n' roll classic.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e36d9ea0a643f4b7d5495352e9c2432f956055ea/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-27-12-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Student" />Following Nate was Sarah in her debut performance. Sarah treated the audience to one of her original songs, "Play with Fire." This marked the debut of her original music with a full band. "Play with Fire" is a wonderful song and the perfect vehicle for Sarah's voice. We are all looking forward to seeing how her writing continues to develop. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bed364ebdd6d5b174709cb05af1153e7f32e7027/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-31-04-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Songwriting Student" /></p>
<p>Next, Amy took the stage with first-time performers and close friends Gavin and Felix for a blistering rendition of "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry. Their arrangement featured trading guitar solos and a nod to Eric Clapton with a brief excerpt of "Hideaway."</p>
<p>After bringing the house down with Chuck Berry, Amy stayed on stage with the house band for "18" by 5 Seconds of Summer. For those who don't know, this is a heavy rock song—uptempo and challenging. But Amy was unfazed; she knocked it out of the park.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d1c81b5afa915cb8dfd62ff20c1dbe2a22bdfd40/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-29-50-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Band Coaching" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/305b72c66b0d309008148f1ae46e908c5c66342a/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-32-18-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Student" /></p>
<p>Lily then took the stage in her debut Showcase performance. Though this was her first SoundLife performance, Lily came in with years of performance experience, which was evident from the count-off of her first song, "Tears Dry On Their Own" by Amy Winehouse. Lily had the crowd in the palm of her hand, clapping along and watching her every move. For her second song, Lily treated the audience to an original titled "Done & Over." This beautiful song showcased her mature songwriting and command of melodic phrasing. The sky is the limit for Lily.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/066aa9dba208805d14eef136f37dcd10aa41efaa/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-33-33-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Lily Songwriting Student" />A SoundLife Showcase is never complete without the Bernstein family, who has participated in all 17 Showcases. Over those years, Natalie has grown to become her own artist, and 2022 is her year. In May, Natalie released her first single on all streaming platforms titled "Adrenaline." If you haven't heard it, check out <a contents="Natalie Bernstein on Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2BJrXvk6FKYn7y3D9MeSFi?si=4ispadeARlCMD9LOLkUMXQ" target="_blank">Natalie Bernstein on Spotify</a> now. In conjunction with this release, Natalie performed her single with the full band and tracks, giving the audience the whole experience. She followed this with an acoustic performance of a brand new original, "Exhausted."</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8feb9dc62a536b5bddce237126716bc2e0f0e36a/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-36-39-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Natalie Bernstein SoundLife" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7a80f2d5fcf7c61995b8590bf4aaceb1e960d7a5/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-37-21-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Natalie Bernstein SoundLife" /></p>
<p>In the finale of the All-Star House Band segment of our show, Isaac took the stage for his final SoundLife performance. Isaac will be heading off to Duke University in the Fall. Having been a part of SoundLife since the age of 10, his presence will be greatly missed. Isaac started with "I Feel Good" by James Brown, demonstrating his funky bass lines and excitement for the future. For his final piece, Isaac's sister Natalie returned to the stage with him to sing "Do I Wanna Know" by the Arctic Monkeys. This happened to be the very first song Isaac ever performed at our first Showcase way back in 2014, bringing his time with SoundLife full circle.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/798567eb7d0b32d9b0dd516cfbcbf7d75a56d343/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-38-09-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Isaac Bass Student" /></p>
<h3><strong>Advanced Bands</strong></h3>
<p>First up in the Advanced Bands portion of our Showcase was Sweatervest, a group comprised of Laurel on keys and vocals, Cormac on guitar and background vocals, Guy on bass, Nate on guitar, and Jonah on drums. Their synth-pop and rock blend was a refreshing change of pace. Sweatervest played through fifteen minutes of known and unknown gems representing every member's interests.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0b030c68468ca8429190d967cf7038cada453680/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-38-54-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Sweatervest Band Coaching" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ee9916eebf07a189c774a04aacb40f4ee23f85c1/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-38-35-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Jonah Drum Student" /></p>
<p>Following Sweatervest, Aidan returned to the stage for his final SoundLife performance. Aidan started with "Fix You" by Coldplay. His moving performance moved the crowd who saw this young man grow right before their eyes. Afterward, Aidan brought his bandmate, Ralston, on stage for a tribute to the late great Taylor Hawkins with a rousing performance of "My Hero" by The Foo Fighters.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a19540cfd80f563c7e1f412b0d98d850b48864a1/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-39-28-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Formally the Rock Mojis and now veterans of the stage, Feedback treated the audience to a 25-minute set of pure rock. Featuring Laurel on vocals and bass, Cormac on guitar and background vocals, Becca on keys and background vocals, Dylan on guitar, and Guy on drums, these young stars came in after a month of regular performances. Kicking off with "Stone Cold Crazy" by Queen and closing with "No Sleep Til' Brooklynn" by The Beastie Boys, Feedback looked like a season touring machine.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b9a0c03eb0e0f87b08cbf11912363959a45b7e8d/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-39-59-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5e9a8d8d6d461e90a36354a0fff259c5a541c458/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-40-18-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ee0970fcb3661c5a74a72d6920be817121c053b3/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-40-45-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Closing out the afternoon was Orpheus, a band on the rise. Orpheus played through 25 minutes of new and classic covers mixed in with their originals. Orpheus is maturing and honing their unique sound. Their original music is a blend of vintage rock tinged with funk and R&B. Orpheus features Cole on vocals and keys, Michael on guitar and vocals, Brady on bass and vocals, and Corbin on drums. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/06313fb10cf05d4333acead3ec919daefd34b795/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-42-01-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5a1afef0b0281df027154f34e39eb4780d2add90/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-42-44-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cf3ad93ebe9c476c43aa5c22a69c2c6a8dca5a2a/original/screen-shot-2022-07-03-at-11-41-48-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69878402022-06-06T10:52:18-07:002022-06-20T19:22:37-07:00Student of the Month: Stella<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Stella on being selected as our <br>June Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/79b77a9cd582d4a7f3671745d0e5b1a1b59f437d/original/stella-cohl-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></strong></p>
<p>On June 4, 2022, Stella took the stage for the first time at El Cid in Hollywood / Silverlake for our Summer Showcase. Her poise and focus were incredible as she sat down at the keyboard and treated the audience to a beautiful rendition of Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from his Nutcracker Suite. </p>
<p>That day also marked another first. It was the very first time she met her teacher <a contents="Christa" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/as-specialist-as-it-gets-meet-christa-haxthausen" style="" target="_blank">Christa</a> in person, having only had online lessons during the pandemic. Stella began lessons in 2018 at the age of 5 with <a contents="Enrique Lara" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/enrique-lara" style="" target="_blank">Enrique Lara</a>. Typically we suggest waiting until 6 to begin piano lessons, but immediately Enrique remarked about her wonderful attitude and the fun she was having in her lessons. As time passed, Stella progressed and participated in our Virtual Showcase V.3 in the Summer of 2021. </p>
<p>Stella eventually outgrew Enrique's ability on the piano, as his principal instrument is the drums and he works only with beginner pianists. Stella began lessons with Christa shortly after, and with such a strong foundation, Stella's progress as a pianist finally got to shine under the light of the stage. We're so thrilled to see Stella's growth and determination. Congrats, Stella! We can't wait to see what you take on next. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/22d6d51e13f44433bb1bccc7dc2cdd8ebd20a2cf/original/stella-cohl.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69872972022-06-05T15:03:29-07:002022-06-06T09:43:44-07:00Chat w/ Pros - Episode 7 w/ Justin Resnick (A Game Plan Of Support)<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/19fa2a880b3b9a7f2ef53b4155ca4e2f220d4410/original/screen-shot-2022-06-06-at-9-37-10-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Justin Resnick Keyboardist " /></p>
<p>Hello and welcome to another <em>Chat w/ Pros</em>. This series introduces you to amazing people in the music community and the wonderfully diverse places that music can take you in your life. We've talked to session musicians, songwriters, and artists, but today, we're going in a different direction. Today we're talking to a longtime friend of mine, an incredible person named Justin Resnick.</p>
<p>Justin is one of my oldest and dearest friends—someone I've known for more than 20 years. We grew up in Baltimore City together, and music took us in totally different directions. When we were young, we were in bands together. As we grew older, I went into the performing aspect of music, and Justin went into <a contents="music therapy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.musictherapy.org/careers/employment/" target="_blank">music therapy</a>, which was a place where he really thrived. Justin received his Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is currently the Clinical Director for a company called <a contents="Victory Care" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://victorycare.com/" target="_blank">Victory Care</a>, which specializes in ABA therapy. Justin's skills include psychology and behavioral analysis, and he specializes in working with kids on the autism spectrum. He has an excellent background in using adaptive and student-led learning to ensure that students thrive and continue working toward specific goals.</p>
<p>Today we're talking to Justin about the role that motivation plays in a student's life (especially in the beginning) and how important it is to have mentors and guides along that way to ensure the path is navigated well. We talk about using music to help raise up young people who are freer, more empathetic, creative, empowered, and in tune with the world. Let's jump right into our conversation with Justin Resnick. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="67OJqV337Kc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/67OJqV337Kc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/67OJqV337Kc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>— </p>
<p><strong>Chris:</strong> Alright, I'm here with Justin Resnick, one of the oldest and dearest friends in my life, and we're here today to talk about how music can impact your life and the places it can take you. We're always trying to think outside the box. We're always trying to expand people's imagination in terms of the role that the arts, in general, can play in a child's life and how that can manifest over time. Justin and I met when I was only 13, I believe. And yeah, you might know better than me. We've been on this incredible journey together, and somehow from Baltimore, Maryland, where we grew up, now we live just 30 minutes from each other here in Los Angeles. Justin, if you don't mind, give us a little bit of history. How did you find music? How did it find you, and then how did that get you here? </p>
<p><strong>Justin Resnick:</strong> Oh, wow, and thank you. Yeah, it's a pleasure to be here. So music was always a part of my life. My father was an avid musician. Our fathers actually knew each other and played together a little bit, but when I was a kid, I just loved rock and roll very much, and nothing made me feel quite as good. I started with the marching band and the orchestral middle school band, but eventually, when I discovered that I could also play rock and roll with my friends, that just became a major passion for me, and it was a very rewarding experience, and you know, you were there. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I was there; I think I remember now that I saw you perform at a church solo, just you on piano, before we ever started playing music together. I went to see a show, and I think Ken, who was a mutual friend of ours, was supposed to be there and he bailed on me at the last minute, so I was there by myself. I remember that, and I remember being so impressed because I couldn't stand up in front of people and sing at all. Nothing would have scared me more than that, but you were fearless. At that time, you were totally fearless. </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> I'm glad it appeared that way. It was terrifying. I remember that show at the church. It was my first time playing by myself in front of people. I saw somebody do it, and he was very inspiring. His name was Tim K, but I tried to model myself a little bit after him and insert elements of my own style, and that was it. I definitely felt the fear, but it was a great experience, and yeah, you can play music by yourself. You can play with others. It's flexible that way. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> So to fast-forward a little bit, when I was probably 15, I was in a band with Ken, the same mutual friend of ours, and he was in a second band with you called Latchkey. Way back then, Latchkey, from my perspective, was like an evolved version of our band—better songs, more thought-out songwriting in general. And I remember being kind of enamored by the band with Ben and you in it, and going to see you guys, I was like, "Oh man, I wanna be in that band." </p>
<p>Then I think further down the line, you came to a birthday party of mine, that was maybe my 15th birthday. You could drive because you were a little older, and you came down in your car, and I remember you got out of the car. This was a Geo—they don't even make those cars anymore—and it wasn't like a cool car, but it was a car and nobody else had a car. You had one, and that's all it took. You got out of the car, I was like, "That's what cool looks like. Oh, man." That's how I felt back then at 15, and since you were a little bit older, again, I thought, "Man, he can drive, he's got this great band, and they've got a record." At the time, you guys had done a record with Mike Rocco, I think. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>Yeah. That's right. We made that first record at Mike Rocco's house in his studio, and we spent a lot of time on those songs. We rehearsed them obsessively, and we really polished them to the point that we felt we were ready to do it. Of course, I look back on it now, and it's mostly for nostalgia. In our musicianship today, we would probably do things a little differently than we would have back then, but at the time, that was our capstone, the greatest product we could make at the time. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah, and it showed for all of our ages that it was a more mature thing than what I was musically capable of at the point, and I remember when I heard that, it planted the seed. I said, "I'm gonna be in that band one day." And as fate would have it, that is how it wound up. Justin and I joined a band, a further down-the-line version of that band called Verdict. And then we were in that band for many more years. Just recently, our friend Ken gave us this gift of the album that we made when we were like 16 and 18 years old or something. He put all of the tickets on the back, the tickets of all of the shows that we had played when we were kids, which is so cool because we had played tons and tons of concerts over the time from ninth grade till we graduated from high school, and he kept all of those tickets. So we have the dates, we know exactly when they all happened and who they were with, and there was a flier on there with a ticket next to it. July 23rd was the date, and it was the year 2000. That was the very first show at the Record Theater in Baltimore where Afterlife played, which was my band, and the opening act was Latchkey, which was your band. That was the first show of many, many, many shows. But we have that flier, we know that date. And I just think that's so cool. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>Yeah, that is a time capsule. I love that. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Twenty-two years ago. So we fast forward now, I graduate from high school, you graduate from high school, we go our different directions. Then what happened? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Well, when I was studying Music, I was also very interested in psychology, and that led me to combine the two and study music therapy. And as a career, music therapy never quite worked out for me, but I found a passion for therapy in general and in psychology, and I found that I was talented in terms of behavioral psychology. And many years later, it's been 14 years in the industry for me now, I'm a Clinical Director for Victory Care, and we provide therapy services to children with disabilities, and basically, we help parents teach their kids how to talk and to cope and to learn. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> That is so inspiring. So when we're talking about this age bracket, most of the students that we interact with through SoundLife are between the ages of 8 and 18. From your perspective—in terms of communicating and instilling inspiration and motivation in kids when so much is changing in their lives, they have so many events going on, they're being pulled in so many different directions, and especially now with social media and a lot of distractions going on in the world—how do we relate to kids, how do we talk to them, how do parents relate to their children?</p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> That's so individualized. It's so individual, one has to really know the child and know their interests and the personal things about them in order to relate to them best. Especially at those young ages. So I think that coming from a perspective of "when I was your age...," it doesn't really resonate with children because it just doesn't feel like what they're going through in their life. So I would say that when relating to children, know their interests and use that to your advantage. To talk to children of that age, the best thing is to know their interests and relate to them on their level, take an interest in their interests, know what they're about, and listen to some of their music. Experience some of what they're going through, and listen to some of their drama. When you build that rapport and children feel like they can trust you, they are so much more likely to listen to you. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Absolutely. If we paint a picture of a very first music lesson, someone has gotten very excited about learning the piano or the drums, and who knows why?. There are so many different stimuli that come into our sphere that say, "You should do this, try this, try that." Sometimes it's our parents pushing us, but sometimes kids go to their parents and ask for something, and the parents have no idea where it came from. But let's paint this picture of a very first lesson. How can a parent be involved and engaged, but not overbearing, to help stimulate that inspiration and that motivation and keep it going? </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>The first thing is to notice those little incremental units of further success and to be genuinely impressed by that. It's very easy to see that progress is being made and to want to push that child to the next level, but take a moment to acknowledge that incremental progress that your child is making. So if they play that chord just a little bit clearer, let them know that it sounds more crisp or sounds better—whatever language it is that you use with your children. And before pushing to the next level, let them digest and revel in what they've done. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/78e6cd619b832e78458ae5aa77b3179a8a4927dc/original/img-0936.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I agree with that. I think that the reward system is very, very important, and acknowledgment is very, very important. I think learning an instrument is not always instantly gratifying. You think in your head, "I'm gonna learn to play guitar, and maybe in a week I'll be able to play the guitar and it'll sound like what I hear." But it takes some time. It takes a lot of baby steps, and acknowledging those steps is so important. One of the things we try to do is, if you learn to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and that's what you know, perform it for your parents, share it with your parents. Sometimes the kids are obviously nervous about that, or they don't think it's as impressive as it is. They don't realize not everybody can do that. Tons of adults can't do that, and we want the kids to share it, but then the parents go the next step by setting up an environment where they're there 100% present and attentive and listening, I think that goes so far. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" becomes chords, and chords become songs, and songs become bands, and bands have shows, and that does tend to have a compound interest effect over time. How we begin is the most important because that inspiration is fragile. Who quits after six months of lessons? Most people. </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> You're absolutely right. It's those seedlings that need to be rewarded. One of the comments about motivation that I studied is rewards commensurate to effort. So setting up that environment where you can listen to them and be fully present, that's the pay-off that any child who wants to be a musician is looking for. So as parents, you should give that to them right away before they lose their motivation. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Absolutely. Let's say you're looking at it from the student's perspective. And maybe they're further along. They've already been playing for quite some time. They've got some facilities, but they've hit an inspirational wall. They have no application for what they're doing, and they've lost touch with why they're doing it. What would you suggest for someone in that position? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Well, first, I would suggest trying not to get to that point as much as possible. You want to keep that connection to what it is that you love about music in the first place. When you lose that connection, your music actually doesn't even sound as good anymore, even if you are technically proficient and you've met all these milestones in terms of chords and scales and arpeggios. So first, I would say try to avoid that. But if you do get lost, then I think it might be a good time to try something totally new, maybe a different song, maybe a different genre, maybe even incorporate a different instrument and see if you can find something that you can incorporate into your music. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I think today with YouTube, the videos and tabs that are available and the myriad of other user-generated resources is amazing. A student who is motivated and disciplined can teach themselves a lot of different things. We believe with SoundLife that having a guide, having a coach, having someone there that is on the team helps organize all of that. We believe marrying inspiration to work ethic under the guidance of someone who has been there before is a recipe for success. What are your thoughts regarding that? </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>Well, I can't agree more. And SoundLife has become so much more than a company that provides music lessons. That personal investment and that presence of a caring person that inspires is—it's a complete game-changer. And I think that any great musician can look back on somebody that provided them with that. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I think that's why we're here. I know for me, I can think of those people immediately. Their faces are right there, never far. And it's not just music; it's teachers, teachers in general, that had that impact. They're always right there. Their voices, their inspirational quips that they came up with, they're always right there and very present. </p>
<p>Justin, you and I had totally different musical upbringings. I always find that to be interesting too. Because there's no one linear path. My father was a trained classical and jazz musician. Consequently, I went through a more formal approach to learning to play. And there were some wonderful things about that. But there were also some limitations. From a methodical standpoint, I had creative limitations. But you, from my perspective, were always kind of creatively unleashed. When we're teaching kids, where is that balance between formality and creativity? And how do we marry those two, so that we still instill discipline and those things that come from a typical pedagogy? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> I had a piano teacher who noticed that I was doing whatever I wanted with all of the songs. And he was pointing out that what I was doing sounded good. And it was creative. But there were elements of these songs, skills that would come from learning them the way they were supposed to be played. And so he designated certain music for me to play by the book and certain music for me to make my own. And he did provide me with an ear to listen to that music that I wanted to make my own. And that was the part that was a little more rewarding for me and came a little bit more naturally. Then he also pushed me to put the effort into perfecting some things that were going to make me a better technical player. So the word that comes to mind is balance. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> That is the same word that was coming to my mind when you were saying that. It's give and take, being flexible. Each case is unique. And things change all the time. And so being in touch with your child's interests and what their teacher is working on with them and being able to pivot. We tell that to our teachers too. They have to be able to switch things up. Like what you're saying, you were struggling with one thing or doing things outside of the box. Instead of the teacher saying, "No," the teacher opened up another door for you. So you felt supported and heard. And I'm imagining that kept you going. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>Absolutely. It kept me in that place where I was being rewarded. And it was easy enough that I was not losing my motivation. But there were also elements of my lessons that were difficult enough that I was growing. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Yes. And growth isn't linear. We can learn all of the modes and scales that are on an instrument. And we could be very proud that we know all of these things. But what about all of these other elements of music, and how connected are we to those things that we want to be able to do? How much closer are we to doing that? That's tricky to balance.</p>
<p>When we were kids, we had this band. And I did listen to our vinyl that our friend gave us. I could listen to it on repeat. I just think it's so cool that we have this thing from 22 years ago or whatever. And I'm listening to it thinking, "These are fully thought-out songs." They do sound dated now because this was the end of the '90s, but these are fully thought-out songs, recorded in a studio, performed live by 15-year-old kids and 16-year-old kids, and where we didn't use any digital things to fix pitch or timing. There's no pitch correction. There's no punching in and out. These are live takes. We recorded to two-inch tape. I don't know if you remember that but we recorded to tape, which doesn't even happen now. </p>
<p>I think through that process. We had a natural discipline to rehearse, to promote our shows, to book shows, to record, to make a record. I think in today's era, that's much more challenging for kids. We are working to still provide that and create space for that. What are your thoughts on the difference between what we went through when we were kids versus what is existing now? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Well, I think that that feeling of playing music and it sounding good is a little bit more accessible with a little bit less effort now. In this current world, where everything that we want is right there in our pocket, and so much satisfaction available, it's difficult to imagine children having the same amount of discipline to go the long way and to really work on something and perfect it. So I would... Whatever someone's mode of creating music, I would just encourage them to treat their music as though it's something that they are nurturing and don't lose focus. And don't move on to the next thing too quickly. Because you might be able to develop something really great if you take the time. It's very hard now for people to take the time. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah. But I do think what we find is that when kids connect with something, and again, you gotta move around and look for it, find it. But when they do (find it), they tend to go all in. Then they are supported by those resources. Because again, it's on their phone. It's on their computer. It's accessible. And a lot of times it's free, they can go very deep, just getting that connection. Then it's up to their village to provide the support system—parents and teachers—giving them the resources to follow that muse. </p>
<p>Another thing that just came to my mind is when we were performing as kids, and even now to this day, when we hang out with our friends, performance is such a big part of our lives. Performance is probably part of our lives even in our regular jobs, even in your job. We don't think about it in the same way. How much did the experiences you had when you were a kid, performing on stage affect your life over time? How much does that influence your daily life now, even though that's not as much of a part of it? How much does that still affect you to this day? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> I would say that your personality is your most valuable asset. And when I look at myself as that 15-year-old kid playing shows with you, I'm still that person. And I'm proud to be that person. I might not tell everybody those stories. But I still show up as that person, even if I'm doing something completely different. And my unique perspective is what makes me valuable in my field. I think that the people I know that came from a different background, they utilize what they do as well and what they've been through in their story. This is the equation of you. It brings a different perspective to anything you do, whether it's professional or just in relationships. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I agree with that. Now, one thing you did from a very early point, and still do to this day, is you sing. You sing and you play. And you're pretty fearless about trying things, learning songs. And you have this crazy catalog or ability to remember lyrics and melodies and things and chord progressions. Your brain is wired in a way that you can hold on to a lot. So do you think starting early had a huge effect on you in terms of not being afraid to do those things and perform in front of people and sing and learn songs? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> I'm sure that starting early was better than starting later. But I think I've known a lot of great musicians who started much later, and that aspect of encouragement from all of the people around them is even more formative than your development from a young age. So I would say it's never too late to begin to learn, just as long as you have that inner reward happening. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> You've got to have a community that's supportive of what you're going after. I know to this day, when we are all together with our friends, we still play, and we still sing songs, and somehow we've curated this environment where it feels safe for people to do that. No one seems to feel like they're gonna be judged or critiqued or anything like that. It's open. And I think that is probably a stimulus for kids, too, to find. Everyone's so scared of what their friends are gonna think or their peers, and cultivating an environment where you can safely try and express yourself, and it doesn't have to be perfect, and it doesn't have to be anything. It just has to be. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>The thing that comes to my mind is that the people who are encouraging you—whether it's in music or otherwise—those are the people you should be around. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah, I couldn't agree more with that. How do we talk to someone to help them on their journey without dictating to them, putting pressure on them, or placing our own fears on them? How do we relate in a way that creates an environment for them to thrive? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Well, I'm not here to repeat cliches, but they are cliches for a reason. So first, seek to understand before seeking to be understood. Listen actively and get to know what the person that you're trying to help is trying to say to you. And when you do come from that place, then I think you are more able to relate to the person. But really trying to understand that [it] sometimes means being present, listening. It might mean that when your kid is at school, you listen to their music and get to know what they're into and find out about their friends. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>I don't know if you did this with your mom, but did you listen to music in the car on the way to school? </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> We listened to music in the car on the way to school. I really remember when I was in bed and she was cleaning up, and there was always Aretha Franklin, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon. That was how I went to sleep at night. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Wow, that's awesome. And that soaked into you, right? Were you inquisitive? What is this? Who is this? What am I listening to? </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>I was. I was, especially with certain artists, I really wanted to know more, and I would turn it on myself. Just a handful, yes. </p>
<p>[laughter] </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>And did your mom come to your shows and performances and things that you were involved in? </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>100%, every performance, my mom was there, and certain other people in my family. They were always right there for anything that I performed, any baseball game that I played. Having that level of encouragement at a young age and throughout life was completely formative for me. I'm very lucky. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> As parents, we're always busy. We have so many things going on, and usually, when we're at one activity, we're already thinking about the next activity we have to get to. Or if we have an activity during the week, we're thinking about how we're gonna get off of work and get back to work and how we're gonna make up for the work that we missed. It is difficult to be at everything all the time. And I suggest to parents, if one parent can't be there, there's always a family friend, an uncle, or a cousin or a relative that can be there. And having somebody there, no matter who it is, showcases that. It helps the child—it helps the person that's participating in this event—feel that sense of support. It could literally be anyone that knows that child and has that relationship, which takes a lot of pressure off of the parent trying to be everywhere at once, which is impossible. </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> That's right. But just knowing that somebody at your performance is on your team, you'll perform better, more confidently. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> You will perform better. We all know that feeling of looking out behind the curtain to see who's there, and sometimes when the room is empty—because we've all played empty shows—it's not a matter of how many people are there; it's who. And an empty room full of five people that are there for you—it's a powerful, powerful thing that does a lot. </p>
<p>Thank you so much for taking this time. I know that you're super busy, and I appreciate you taking the time, but I also appreciate what we've shared today. I hope it helps parents—and I hope it helps some of our students as well—try to create an environment where we can continue to stimulate this creativity, continue to inspire kids who are in that beginning stage of learning, and hopefully get them over that hump. I think you would agree that the first hump is the hardest one. </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Absolutely. The hardest part of the journey is the first step. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Yes, I like to always say, "You don't have to be great to start, but you've gotta start to be great." But that first bit is really hard, and statistically, for all music-related things, we know that there's that drop-off in the very beginning. And when we do first lessons with students, it's always great excitement in the first lesson, maybe the first two lessons. And then, if we don't immediately meet that with an action plan in terms of goals being set and support in place, it starts to wither away. As a parent investing in music lessons, there's the financial investment of it. You don't wanna see that investment not rewarded and not gain interest over time by seeing your child having fun and gaining a new skill. But on the other side of that, you truly—and I now know this as a parent—want to see your children thrive. So I do think that as a team between whoever the music educator or the teacher is and the parents and students, all together having a game plan of support, I think that makes all the difference. We would have far more artists and musicians and creative thinkers in the world if more people had that support system in place. </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> You're absolutely right. It starts with rewarding those—recognizing and rewarding those small incremental milestones of success. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Alright. So parents out there, the next time you hear a little bit of "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Ode to Joy," you get your round of applause ready, standing ovation, and celebration because that—as small as it sounds—is a monumental thing. Alright, thank you, Justin. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>Thank you.</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of <a contents="SoundLife Music Academy" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">SoundLife Music Academy</a> and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69604662022-05-01T22:46:34-07:002022-05-02T07:30:58-07:00Student of the Month: Ralston<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Ralston on being selected as our <br>May Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/75879c6f8f86db8b6ec302eb9c897007bdee3694/original/screen-shot-2022-04-29-at-7-24-21-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>On April 30, 2022, Ralston took the <a contents="Wesley Palooza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.wesleyschool.org/getting-involved/wesley-palooza-2022" style="" target="_blank">Wesley Palooza</a> stage for the final time. The Wesley Palooza is a cornerstone experience for all students at The Wesley School. It is an annual talent showcase that nearly every student participates in each and every year. Prior to the pandemic, hundreds of parents, family members, and friends would take over the Wesley field enjoying over three hours of performances. SoundLife has helped many students prepare for this performance, and this year was no different. For his final performance, Ralston didn't just put a short show together. He finished two of his own originals, demoed them, and then performed them live with a full band. Following the debut of Ralston's originals, he treated the crowd to an amazing performance of "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters. </p>
<p>As an eighth-grader, Ralston stands close to 6-feet tall, but his physical growth spurt is overshadowed by his personal growth. Let's be honest, the last two years were tough on everyone, but for middle schoolers... can you imagine how difficult that must have been? Online learning proved to be a challenge for Ralston, as he is very much a hands-on learner; but in spite of the challenges lockdown presented, Ralston still thrived and came out of it stronger than ever. Between 2020 and 2022, Ralston and his bands, Brother and No Recess, created a series of music videos and performance videos. In total, Ralston came out of the pandemic with five music videos and two live-performance videos. <a contents="Click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xldTNAsgMok" style="" target="_blank">Click here</a> to watch Ralston in Brother's cover of "Smash It Up" by The Damned.</p>
<p>Today Ralston is a seasoned performer, commanding the stage and expressing his genuine awesome self fearlessly. He is a songwriter, a guitarist, and a gifted frontman. Ralston is also an actor. Over the years, between performing in musicals with the <a contents="Village Arts Theater" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://villageartstheatre.org/" target="_blank">Village Arts Theater</a>, in concerts with SoundLife, and with his band Brother, Ralston has accumulated thousands of hours of stage experience on his way to mastery. The fact that he has achieved this while being unable to perform for two years is incredible and showcases his determination. When an opportunity to perform presents itself, Ralston raises his hand—over and over and over again. </p>
<p>Outside of music, Ralston developed a passion for baking. This passion led to <a contents="Bake For Better" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bakeforbetter.org/news" style="" target="_blank">Bake For Better</a>, which is a charity where all bakers can bring in their delicious treats with a little note, and then Ralston delivers them to the Interfaith Food Pantry to be given out to the homeless and hungry. We can attest that Ralston's baking is top-notch. One of his cookies is worth a drive across LA in rush hour against the flow of traffic. </p>
<p>What inspires us most about Ralston is his heart to serve. Whether performing or baking, Ralston gives everything of himself. As performers, we serve by giving people an experience, taking them somewhere else, and letting them lay their burdens down. This only happens when performers are totally present and all in. Ralston doesn't seem to know how to do it any other way.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/56f2bb18a45295a0c3d3a9f3bab6083289b9b8c0/original/ralston-2.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Ralston! </strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about music education? </strong> </p>
<p>I like being able to express myself through music, and having an outlet/someone helping you is really special.</p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong> </p>
<p>My ultimate goal in being a musician is to be successful, play lots of shows, and to have a great fan base.</p>
<p><strong>Who is your favorite artist/singer/player? </strong></p>
<p>My favorite artist changes a lot but right now it’s the LA punk band X, I love their sound and vibe. It’s a good band for any occasion.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69602412022-05-01T22:18:47-07:002022-05-01T22:31:19-07:00CODA: A Must-See Movie for Parents of Young Musicians<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/59ce8137615a5d0b45b609fd831d9d59a055a591/original/screen-shot-2022-04-29-at-1-36-22-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Have you seen the movie <em>CODA</em> yet? If not, I strongly urge you to set aside the time to watch it. If we were in person, you would see my arms waving, my eyes wide, and my face expressive. I would appear like any person having experienced something so genuine and moving that it must be shared. <em>CODA</em> is the most recent recipient of the <a contents="Oscar for Best Picture" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/coda-wins-best-picture-oscar-marking-a-streaming-first#:~:text=LOS%20ANGELES%20%E2%80%94%20After%20a%20movie,service%20for%20the%20first%20time." style="" target="_blank">Oscar for Best Picture</a> at the time of this writing. It is found only on Apple+, or in my case, on an airline that happened to license the movie. </p>
<p><em>CODA</em> tells the story of Ruby, the only hearing person in a deaf family. Ruby finds in herself a passion to sing. The idea that her passion is something that her family cannot experience with her is a strong theme, alongside the most important theme, which is love and how it manifests itself in the face of uncertainty and hardship. I won’t give away the plot of the movie except to say that the protagonist ultimately sets her sights on auditioning for <a contents="Berklee College of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" style="" target="_blank">Berklee College of Music</a> in Boston. In the movie, much like in the real world, the school represents something completely out of reach, a place where dreams are made reality. </p>
<p>While the end credits rolled, I found myself wiping tears away, thinking of my own family and how they supported my journey. As a proud Berklee graduate, class of '07, the movie reconnected me with what it was like to reach for something that seemed impossible, what it took, and how it shaped my life. Berklee College of Music is the prime contemporary music college located in the heart of the Back Bay Area of Boston, near Fenway Park and across the river from Harvard. It is a sprawling urban campus strung across busy streets and high-rise buildings.</p>
<p>Musicians wander these crowded streets with instruments on their backs day in and day out. The sound of music fills the air, and the energy of collective creativity bursts through the cold and wind. It is a challenging place filled with the best musicians from around the world, all with their own unique gifts, backgrounds, and stories. It is competitive and easily swallows up dreams as often as it births them. But, there is magic in the community, resources in between the walls, and a body of educators dripping with experience and wisdom. </p>
<p>The cliff notes of my story reads like this: When I was 11, I went to my first concert and was changed forever. I wanted to be a musician. With no skill, but endless passion, I plucked away at my guitar, rehearsed with my bands, and played shows around town. In the eighth grade, my father suggested I audition for the <a contents="Baltimore School The Arts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bsfa.org/alumni/chris-vazquez" style="" target="_blank">Baltimore School for the Arts</a>, a Baltimore City arts magnet school. This is the same school that both <a contents="Tupac and Jada Pinkett" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://dailyrapfacts.com/20535/tupac-jada-pinkett-smith-high-school/" style="" target="_blank">Tupac and Jada Pinkett</a> attended, along with countless other household names in the entertainment world. Long story short, I did not get in. But my parents rallied around me. They constantly instilled in me a no-quit mentality.</p>
<p>I worked every day after school and auditioned again the following year. I was accepted and enrolled as a sophomore in the year 2000. I struggled immensely not coming from a classical background and having such a short history with music at the time. Most of the students in the school started studying when they were very young—6 to 8 years old. I was also a year behind, but in these environments, you gain respect by doing the work. We didn’t have sports or school electives; we had music, and you made friends by being prepared and playing well. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f9404ce076219c4e53beed3a38ab0120e4bc9d61/original/screen-shot-2022-04-29-at-1-37-24-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>In 2001, I went to Berklee’s <a contents="Summer Guitar Sessions Workshop" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/summer/programs/guitar" style="" target="_blank">Summer Guitar Sessions Workshop</a>. This is a short, 3-day program that gives students a taste of the Berklee experience. I was in way over my head, but I loved it. The next summer I went to Berklee’s<a contents=" 5 week Summer Program" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/summer/programs/five-week" style="" target="_blank"> 5-week Summer Program</a>. At the end of those five weeks, I knew Berklee was the place for me. There was only one very large problem: There was no way my family could afford to send me to Berklee, nor was I good enough at the time to get in. I needed to somehow be in that 6 percent of people who get accepted, and I needed financial assistance. </p>
<p>In the fall of 2002, I recorded my application material, took my in-person scholarship audition, and sent my application in for early admission. I also applied to Peabody Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, and Duquesne University. These are all very-respected music schools, but they are not Berklee. By November, I knew my fate: Berklee did not accept me. Eastman accepted me with no scholarship. Duquesne and Peabody offered me a full ride. I was devastated. As happy as my parents were about the other schools, I felt so deeply connected to going to Berklee. I wanted to study in a contemporary program, and I knew that most of the teachers at the other schools had attended Berklee. I wanted to go to the source. Again, my parents didn’t take no for an answer.</p>
<p>In January of 2003, my father and I took our high school Jazz Combo up to Berklee for their High School Jazz band competition with the hopes of getting me another audition. Sure enough, our perseverance paid off. They granted me a second audition, and this time I was overly prepared. A few weeks later, the acceptance and scholarship letter came. The scholarship was just $5,000 a year, but it was enough to get me in the door. I took the rest of the loans out in my name, and my parents reinforced that if I can’t bet on myself, then how can I expect anyone else to bet on me. </p>
<p>I entered Berklee in the fall of 2003 with a partial scholarship and graduated in 2007 as a full-scholarship student. In my final weeks of school, the Chair of the Guitar Department called me into his office. He told me the <a contents="Ringling Bros" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ringling.com/" style="" target="_blank">Ringling Bros</a>. Circus was looking for a guitarist, and he gave them my name. If I wanted the job, it would start right away and would be a full-time touring gig. I couldn’t believe he thought of me, but I was conflicted because I had another offer to work on a cruise ship that I had already accepted. What he told me still sits with me and ultimately guided my career. He said, "Your integrity in this business is everything. Take the opportunity you already committed to, honor your word, and everything will work out." He was right. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1afc01efd4523e2e8971cae1061e5e64974879d6/original/img-1203.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez Air Supply" /></p>
<p>At the time of writing this, I am sitting on the runway waiting for our gate to open. When the plane landed, a series of texts came through. One of them was from the monitor engineer on this weekend’s run of shows on the East Coast. He sent a photo of me out at the front of the stage taking a solo, the audience on their feet, hands in the air. Having just watched <em>CODA</em>—a movie about the passion for music—I simply smiled.</p>
<p>The moral of this story is that often the passion to pursue music is something those around us cannot understand. It is an alternative path, and any time someone commits to an alternative path, there is a certain level of resistance from friends and family. This resistance is mostly rooted in fear. What if you fail? What if it doesn’t work out? How will we afford it? It is true that my father is a musician and that his experience was of great help to me through my journey, but his journey was very difficult and there was still much he didn’t know. My mother only knew what my father had been through, and that must have terrified her when I chose to follow a similar path. Yet, in spite of their fear and uncertainty, they supported me and learned with me, and most importantly, they never told me there was anything I couldn't do. Seeing this movie really drove that love and sacrifice home. So, as soon as I get out of this plane, I’ll have some hugs to give to my mom in Los Angeles and a phone call to make to my dad on the East Coast. </p>
<p>Living in Los Angeles, we are all surrounded by alternative thinkers, creatives, and dreamers. Success depends tremendously on support. This support is paramount in the beginning and any time adversity comes, as it always does. A village of teachers, family, and friends who are invested and encouraging, sharing in the journey, and helping one another makes all of the difference. I know now, having children of my own, how hard it is to balance all the demands of being a parent, but we don’t have to provide this support alone. Parents can lean on family and their inner circle of honorary uncles, aunts, and cousins to provide a network of not only encouragement but also interest and understanding.</p>
<p>I implore parents to always talk with their children about what they’re learning in lessons, listening to on their own, and involved in both inside and outside of school. Ask about their goals, their wildest pie in the sky dreams. <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" style="" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> is committed to hearing these dreams and doing our part to support them, but it does take a village. I’m sure everyone can think back on their own journey and agree that those people—parents, teachers and family—that showed up over and over are never far from our mind. Even when we don’t understand our children’s passion, we can always learn. The more we learn, the better we can provide for them, and the closer we become.</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without a doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69344242022-03-31T10:15:44-07:002022-04-06T11:19:58-07:00Performance Rituals: Behind the Stage <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/ebd7b08506a5ae5261abd88e574bb3fbbee55bca/original/hnzyczniha8.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><strong>Pre-Show Ritual</strong></h4>
<p>Rituals are part of the magic that makes an experience special or, in some cases, sacred. For musicians, the venue and stage held within it are sacred places. In preparing to step foot on the stage, musicians create their rituals over time. Sitting backstage for the last 20 years, I've seen everything—stretches, instrument warm-ups, listening to specific music, prayers, meditation, and more. What are my rituals? There are many. I practice Yoga and have a 15-minute pre-show routine for larger shows or when touring. After this, I sit somewhere away from everyone, put in my headphones, and listen to music I loved when I was young and just learning to play. This takes me back to why I started the journey and reminds me that I am here to serve. I've come far, and people are counting on me. This is my passion; this is my dream. Living any place beyond this moment would be a slap in the face of the forces that put me here. I know that's a bit deep, but it is truly what goes through my mind. </p>
<p>In the <a contents="Air Supply" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://airsupplymusic.com/" style="" target="_blank">Air Supply</a> camp—a band that's been touring consistently for 45 years and I've had the pleasure of touring with for the last six years—their ritual consists of group vocal warm-ups with the entire band, singing classics like "Lost in Love" and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" together around an acoustic guitar. This is followed by having the entire band holding hands in a circle, eyes closed, heads down while Russell, the band's lead singer, projects phrases such as "Be present tonight. Give them everything you have. Project your light and love. Have fun." Then everyone hugs one another. As soon as the group meeting is done, the front of house clicks into a three-song playlist, which is the same for every show. These songs are crucial to setting the mood for the audience, but while these songs play for the front of house, they can also be heard in the band and crew's in-ear monitors. The last song, "The Boys Are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy, gets the audience primed for the show and reminds everyone involved in creating the show why they are there. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/b9f0cd27816db31a680a186a64fa386764cb4527/original/misc-18.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><strong>Respect for the Craft</strong></h4>
<p>Rituals are really a form of respect. True, the word is most commonly associated with religion, but rituals are found everywhere in every aspect of life. They are a way of showing respect for the tradition, the history, the craft. More importantly, they help us remember why we're doing what we're doing. </p>
<p>For every <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> Showcase, my partner Mike and I, along with our team, go through a rigorous checklist. This starts one day before when we gather all the gear needed for the entire event and communicate all expectations to the whole team. Then Mike and I arrive early in the morning to load in and set up. Our team comes shortly after. We soundcheck, set up cameras, tape up setlists, and then place our banners and flyers appropriately. Before the doors open, we circle to remember why we're there—our mission to serve, educate, inspire, and instill confidence in every performer. </p>
<p>The final ritual leading up to every SoundLife Showcase involves the song "It's a Long Way to the Top If You Want to Rock n' Roll" by AC/DC. We use the same song at the same moment for every concert. Yes, that song title is a mouthful, but it encapsulates everything we're there to do, everything the performers are there to do, and everything the audience is there to do. It is a long way to the top, but from wherever we start, we are that much closer today. A great musician once pulled me to the side of the stage just after I missed an important cue. He told me, "Today, you came to play. There ain't no practice today. You already did that. Today, you let it all go." His words brought me back to the moment, got me out of my head, and led to one of the most memorable shows of my life </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/0345f31a49e59aae164e9d589186329771fb49cd/original/pexels-photo-167445.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Happy Ukulele Player" /></p>
<h4><strong>Where Is This Fun Everyone Keeps Yapping About?</strong></h4>
<p>There is a limitless well of joy to be found on the stage, but like everything of great value, if it were easy, everyone would find it. From time to time, a student will tell me they don't enjoy performing or being on stage, it's too stressful, too scary, or it's simply not their thing. To that, I have a complete understanding. It certainly is not for everyone, but there is no doubt in my mind that the process of engaging in performance, learning the craft, and experiencing it as part of learning to play an instrument has a profoundly positive effect on the larger scope of life. Performance is part of everyone's day-to-day whether they realize it or not. We perform in school, at our job, for our friends, and for our family. We perform whenever we set a goal and work toward that goal. The opportunity to achieve that goal in exchange for showcasing our work in front of witnesses presents itself. This is entirely different from the craft of entertaining, which is a step beyond performing. This is learning to stare down fear, doubt, and uncertainty without flinching. </p>
<p>When people say they don't enjoy performing or it's not fun, it often stems from an inability to stay present in the moment. This happens for two reasons: either a performer is not prepared enough or experienced enough to know how to be fully present on stage. The work, the process of both practicing and getting back up there, again and again, is the only way to gain that level of preparedness and experience to let go and live in that moment. Without it, feeling the full magic and power of the stage becomes random, unpredictable, and chaotic. Within this process, over time, we find our rituals that help us remain calm, purposeful, and present. We find tricks and superstitions that we commit to in order to be our best.</p>
<p>To our Rock Stars who take the <a contents=" Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" style="" target="_blank">Showcase</a> Stage, you are the hero of your story. You are brave, courageous, and inspiring. If you feel that power, then good—you deserve it. If you don't, I implore you to develop rituals for the traditions you hold reverence for and practice them regularly to help remind yourself how far you've come, no matter where you are or what you're doing. Remember, performance is never about perfection. It is about measuring your progress, problem-solving, facing adversity, and declaring victory.</p>
<p>Most importantly, it is about learning to be fully present. We can work toward these things on and off the stage in all that we do. Respect the moment. Smile at opportunities of every size and shape, and don't miss a second. Powerful, astonishing, unforgettable moments are everywhere.</p>
<p> </p><!-- more -->
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez of SoundLife" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69369872022-03-31T10:13:24-07:002022-04-04T22:31:59-07:00Student of the Month: Jimmy<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Jimmy on being selected as our <br>April Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2b944881051c83c96bc385b4f754e04d27b7ba51/original/image1.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Bass Guitar" /></strong></p>
<p>April Student of the Month, Jimmy, studies electric bass and currently attends Science Academy STEM Magnet. When asked about Jimmy’s progress since beginning lessons in January, his instructor Eric quickly replied with three defining character traits: “diligent, focused, and hard-working.” These are character traits we strive to develop and strengthen within all students, and they are a recipe for success.</p>
<p>Since beginning lessons, Jimmy has been learning songs by the Beatles, Toto, and Muse—to name a few. The role of the bass in these songs is present and active, showcasing the full range, purpose, and uniqueness of the instrument. These aren’t bands where the bass just follows the guitar. In these bands, the bass often has difficult passages and subtle nuances requiring advanced awareness and technique. Each week Jimmy shows noticeable improvement. </p>
<p>One highlight is the song “Come Together” by The Beatles. The iconic bass slide was a challenge for Jimmy, but he progressively worked away at it and is now nailing it every time. A large part of playing bass is working with the way a song feels and grooves and a firm understanding of time as it pertains to music. Jimmy works very well within all of these areas. </p>
<p>In lessons, Jimmy and his instructor Eric jam together on Blues shuffles, a fantastic feat for a rock star of his young age. He listens and responds to constructive feedback positively. Though Jimmy has only been taking lessons with SoundLife for just a few short months, he demonstrates an eagerness to learn and grow. </p>
<p>Congratulations, Jimmy! We can’t wait to see where music takes you next!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/05919275fe4856b2bcb4283f0ec5d1733680a8ce/original/screen-shot-2022-03-31-at-10-05-57-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Student Of The Month" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Jimmy! </strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about music education?</strong> </p>
<p>What I like most about taking lessons is learning new songs and improving my bass skills. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I succeed on parts that were difficult at first. I am having fun taking lessons, and I am learning a lot from my teacher Eric. </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong> </p>
<p>My ultimate goal in music is to be able to jam with friends and family. My Dad sings and plays guitar, and I’m looking forward to playing music with him around the campfire on camping trips.</p>
<p><strong>Who is your favorite artist/singer/player? </strong></p>
<p>My favorite artist is Blacklite District. They collaborated with Rainimator to make Minecraft music videos, and they have a lot of really cool rock songs. Some of my favorite songs are Goodbye, Living in a Nightmare, Cold As Ice, The Struggle, and Clear Skies. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69282342022-03-21T16:27:13-07:002022-03-27T14:36:08-07:00Announcement: Summer Artist Development Camp<h2 style="text-align: center;">Artist Development Camp </h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Summer Camp You've Been Waiting For</h2>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/593696f95e584d0fdc432cee84e284f68f65ccfb/original/recording.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Synopsis: </strong></p>
<p>Calling all performers, bands, songwriters, and artists! Join us this summer from July 25-29 for a one-of-a-kind music experience. SoundLife Summer Takeover will be an unforgettable immersion into songwriting, song interpretation, arranging, performance, marketing, licensing, and artist development. For five days, participants will meet at our locked-out rehearsal facility to create music together under the guidance of our expert coaches—along with the additional inspiration and advice of special guests designated for each day's theme. The week will culminate with an intimate live performance demonstrating the full range of artistry. </p>
<p><strong>Who Should Attend: </strong></p>
<ul> <li>Budding artists who want to learn more about developing themselves, their brand, and their sound </li> <li>Instrumentalists who want to learn more about the world of being a session musician/sideman </li> <li>Singers who want to develop their confidence and on-stage performance </li> <li>Songwriters who want to further develop their writing and hear their music played by an all-star cast of musicians </li> <li>Bands who want to learn how to write and interpret songs, market and brand themselves, and position their group for success </li> <li>Anyone who wants to learn more about how to make a living in the music industry </li> <li>Anyone who wants to meet new friends to make music with </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>When: </strong>July 25-29 </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Time:</strong> 8:30am - 12:30pm </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Where:</strong> Nightingale Studios </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Age:</strong> 8 years old to 18 years old </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Capacity:</strong> 20 participants </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tuition:</strong> $650* </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Offer: </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Receive $50 off if you register before May 1st </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Receive $25 off if you register before June 1st</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">*Payment Plans Available, <a contents="Email Us For Details" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:info@soundlifelessons.com" style="" target="_blank">Email Us for Details</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe height="580" name='{"wgId":2604,"gaId":"G-SE9WYT1TS6","gaS":"SignUp(Summer Camp Registration)","gaSCate":"Widget","gaSLb":"Summer Camp Registration"}' scrolling="no" src="https://app.teacherzone.com/widget/PlanWidgetIFrame?n=2604" style="border:none;" title="teacherzone.com" width="400"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Sample Daily Schedule</strong></p>
<p><strong>Monday: The Songwriter</strong> </p>
<p>8:30-8:45am – Arrive / Socialize </p>
<p>8:45-9:00am – Daily Overview / Active Listening </p>
<p>9:00-9:50am – Special Guest Songwriting Demonstration </p>
<p>10:00-11:25am – Breakout Rooms / Writing Sessions </p>
<p>11:30am-12:30pm – On-Stage Performance Workshop </p>
<p><strong>Tuesday: The Artist </strong></p>
<p>8:30-8:45am – Arrive / Socialize </p>
<p>8:45-9:00am – Daily Overview / Active Listening </p>
<p>9:00-9:50am – Special Guest Artist Demonstration </p>
<p>10:00-11:25am – Breakout Rooms / Writing Sessions </p>
<p>11:30am-12:30pm – On-Stage Performance Workshop </p>
<p><strong>Wednesday: The Musician </strong></p>
<p>8:30-8:45am – Arrive / Socialize </p>
<p>8:45-9:00am – Daily Overview / Active Listening </p>
<p>9:00-9:15am – Guest Performance from LA’s Top Session Musicians </p>
<p>9:15-9:50am – Live Q & A with Touring Musicians </p>
<p>10:00-11:25am – Individual Instrument Breakout Rooms with Guests </p>
<p>11:30am-12:30pm – On-Stage Performance Workshop </p>
<p><strong>Thursday: The Business </strong></p>
<p>8:30-8:45am – Arrive / Socialize </p>
<p>8:45-9:00am – Daily Overview / Active Listening </p>
<p>9:00-9:50am – Special Guest A&R / Artist Management Demonstration </p>
<p>10:00-11:25am – Individual Instrument Breakout Rooms with Guests </p>
<p>11:30am-12:30pm – On-Stage Performance Workshop </p>
<p><strong>Friday: The Results </strong></p>
<p>8:30-8:45am – Arrive / Socialize </p>
<p>8:45-9:00am – Daily Overview / Active Listening </p>
<p>9:00-10:25 am – Final Rehearsals </p>
<p>10:30-10:50am – Soundcheck </p>
<p>11:00am-12:30pm – Final Performance </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/aa64923f78c6d9dc889d95819277366622a20992/original/bts-blackbg-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>A Note About SoundLife Special Guests: </strong></p>
<p><em>Our founders and teachers are professionals working in the music industry, and through those connections we're proud to continuously bring Guest Teachers and Speakers into our fold to help give our students real insight into the music industry. </em></p>
<p><em>While we are still locking in Special Guests for our Summer Takeover sessions, here is a sampling of some musicians and performers whom we've worked with in the past:</em></p>
<p><em>Derek Frank (Gwen Stefani / Shania Twain) </em></p>
<p><em>Alex Nester (Urban Renewal Project / Artist) </em></p>
<p><em>Dontae Winslow (Justin Timberlake / Dr. Dre / Snoop Dogg) </em></p>
<p><em>Drew Lawrence (Multi-Platinum Songwriter / Grammy Winner) </em></p>
<p><span style="color:#ff0033;">*Official special guests for Summer Takeover will be announced in the coming weeks.</span></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69073022022-02-25T10:59:44-08:002022-03-01T10:55:52-08:00Student of the Month: Guy<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Guy on being selected as our March Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/597210218d056a17a695133c6dcc66b484580733/original/screen-shot-2022-02-25-at-10-36-16-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="Guy Drums" />On February 5, 2022, Guy stepped back onto the <a contents="Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" style="" target="_blank">Showcase</a> stage for the first time since December of 2019. Two years is a long time in the life of any musician, but more so in the eyes of a rock star on the cusp of entering high school. On that day in February, a different player showed up, one ready to make a statement. The last time Guy took the stage for a SoundLife Showcase, it was on the drums behind a band called The Rock Mojis. This band was nowhere to be found, nor was that drummer. In their place was something completely new, far more mature, polished, and confident. </p>
<p>Guy currently plays in two bands while taking private <a contents="drum lessons" data-link-label="Drum Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/drum-lessons" style="" target="_blank">drum lessons</a> with our instructor <a contents="Enrique Lara" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/enrique-lara" target="_blank">Enrique Lara</a> and learning to play the bass with his father Boaz, who is a musical encyclopedia. It’s no wonder Guy is like a sponge, soaking up everything around him, developing his skills, and diversifying his musical tastes. In the two years between in-person Showcases, his band The Rock Mojis changed their name to <a contents="Feedback" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/student-s-of-the-month-feedback" style="" target="_blank">Feedback</a>. During the pandemic, Feedback wrote and recorded originals and covers, creating music videos for each. To accomplish this, Guy had to lay down the foundation for everyone else to record their parts. This process elevated his ability to play with tracks and memorize song forms. Guy also became the bass player in a newly formed band called Sweatervest. Sweatervest was born from a previous band called Pillow Fight, who also created various music videos. All of these videos document tremendous growth and a continued increase in confidence. </p>
<p>In September of 2021, Feedback and Sweatervest resumed in-person rehearsals. From that point on, Guy showcased himself as a leader and a rock of reliability both behind the kit and on the bass. Each week he would come prepared, having clearly practiced his parts, transitions, and set notes from week to week. In rehearsal, Guy paid attention to critical feedback. He was eager to improve and always supportive of his peers. Between both bands, Guy has amassed a personal setlist of almost 15 songs. </p>
<p>At the show, the musician that took the stage for Feedback and Sweatervest played like a seasoned pro. With Feedback, Guy laid down a beautiful pocket, refrained from unnecessary flash, and made sure his bandmates felt confident in all they needed to do. Sweatervest, having a completely different sound, showcased Guy’s drum pocket in a melodic fashion on the bass. He stood front of stage, laying down thumbing bass lines that moved the entire audience. As teams, both bands took their audiences on a sonic journey that can only happen when the drivers are in control. </p>
<p>Congratulations to Guy on all of his hard work and, of course, his patience throughout the pandemic. We often think of how hard this time was on students, but drummers definitely had a special challenge not being able to play along with anyone. Guy made sure that time was productive, and the results are undeniable. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/90d9c843bec40e63d974695bf54f0a34efdd09de/original/screen-shot-2022-02-25-at-10-57-26-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Guy!</strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band?</strong></p>
<p>My favorite part of taking lessons is that it really does help me improve. My lessons are like my guide. It takes me through the steps to becoming great. Being in a band also helps me improve. I get to hear feedback from my band ;) and how I can improve. And the best part is, it's just overall fun to play with people, rather than playing along to a recording.</p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music?</strong></p>
<p>My goal with music is to take it with me even when I am an adult. I want to turn it into a career for me and to become a musician.</p>
<p><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)?</strong></p>
<p>I don’t really have a favorite artist but I do love rock. Mainly 70s and 80s rock. My main inspiration is my dad because he is the one that encouraged me to start learning music and pushed me to be greater. Music isn’t good just because of the sound, its good because of the feeling it gives you.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8827e800dd3d862a2d5af98e4fdbf2ef1fd4da98/original/screen-shot-2022-02-25-at-10-55-56-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/69072632022-02-25T09:34:47-08:002022-04-14T11:05:10-07:00Teacher Feature: An Engine of Creation – Eric Potapenko <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Teacher Feature showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b7feab6f5960ba75367b2be134a805bfcf2ad45c/original/screen-shot-2022-02-25-at-9-18-49-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="Eric Potz Potapenko " /></p>
<p>It’s hard to hear Eric Potapenko’s story and not start shouting “Cleveland Rocks” at the top of your lungs. Eric’s journey to Los Angeles and into the SoundLife community is one that resonates deeply with our history and mission. It is a similar story to many musicians: Boy has a dream, works hard, outgrows his surroundings, moves to the big city, works his way up, and on the story goes. But, what makes Eric’s story special is his connection to his own inspiration. His passion is still alive and well, growing all the time. He has a deep reverence for his own mentors, teachers, and peers. He has cultivated an ability to set specific intentions and bring them to life. </p>
<p>Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Eric began playing the guitar at the age of 10. What was his spark? It was the mind-bending sounds of guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani on his album “<a contents="Engines Of Creation" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engines_of_Creation_(album)" style="" target="_blank">Engines of Creation</a>.” In the guitar world, this is a classic album—approachable, but ambitious and beautiful all at the same time. From that spark grew a fire. Eric began his obsession with the guitar, learning first from his father and then from neoclassical shred master <a contents="Neil Zaza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY8X9tLD1xyKMfBpEDCVAKQ" style="" target="_blank">Neil Zaza</a>, who is from Akron, Ohio. </p>
<p>Before graduating high school, Eric had already formed his own instrumental progressive rock band, released multiple full-length albums, played shows all over the area, and even opened for the legendary prog band Dream Theater. In 2007, Eric’s band won the <a contents="Highschool Rock Off" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rockhall.com/rockoff" style="" target="_blank">High School Rock Off</a> competition and accepted their award at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4715507153d0ea778667fe475a991a15dc5b6261/original/screen-shot-2022-02-25-at-9-19-17-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Eric received his bachelor's degree in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and Teaching from <a contents="Baldwin Wallace University" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bw.edu/academics/undergraduate/teacher-education/" target="_blank">Baldwin Wallace University</a> in 2013. As a result, he is not just a musician who teaches. His approach with students combines passion with process. He knows how to talk to and connect with students to get results. </p>
<p>After college, Eric dove into both songwriting and working as a sideman/session musician. These two wildly different worlds broadened Eric’s skills, making him a highly sought-after player once he relocated to Los Angeles. On the songwriting side, Eric has released multiple singles, including his latest release <a contents="“Ghosting Me”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/ghosting-me-single/1596532107" style="" target="_blank">“Ghosting Me”</a> under the artist name Potz. Through songwriting, Eric acquired a vast arsenal of knowledge about singing, production, engineering, and sound design to go along with guitar playing.</p>
<p>As a freelance guitarist, Eric studied the best to ever do it, such as Paul Jackson Jr., Steve Lukather, and Brent Mason. Following in their gigantic footsteps, Eric built a foundation of friendships within the Los Angeles music community, leading to sustained success. He has shared the stage with massive artists such as Adam Lambert, Lizzo, Ledisi, Stephen Puth, and Jade Novah. Eric's long and steady growth as a sideman showcases his work ethic, expertise, and ability to be a great hang within every team. </p>
<p><a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" style="" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> is grateful to bring Eric’s expertise and experience to our community. He is one of those special individuals who has made and continues to turn dreams into reality. This makes for the best possible mentor. The best teachers are the ones who never stray too far from their spark, are still dreaming, and constantly reaching higher. They see themselves in their students, wishing always for their success, their growth, and their excitement. </p>
<p>Eric is available for <a contents="Guitar" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons" style="" target="_blank">Guitar</a>, <a contents="Bass," data-link-label="Bass Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/bass-lessons" target="_blank">Bass,</a> <a contents="Production" data-link-label="Recording Program" data-link-type="page" href="/recording-program" target="_blank">Production</a>, <a contents="Songwriting" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank">Songwriting</a>, <a contents="Voice," data-link-label="Voice Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/voice-lessons" target="_blank">Voice,</a> and <a contents="Band Coaching." data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" target="_blank">Band Coaching.</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6cd3adb949cf2e3a08dbfb31db92c214727e1f71/original/screen-shot-2022-02-25-at-9-18-28-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68914922022-02-07T20:00:01-08:002022-05-02T09:46:08-07:00SoundLife 2022 Calendar<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_large">SoundLife 2022 Calendar </span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Student Jams, special events you don't want to miss, and more!</strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/dfa45565d832a00a6c249b35b937bf9239464dcd/original/09b7e6ee-2128-3529-12e2-c6022808e665.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>In 2022 we have a brand new Summer Camp program starting, and plenty of Student Jams - it's going to be a musical year!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><u><span class="font_large"><strong>2022 Calendar of Events</strong></span> </u></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>January </strong><br>1/1/22: New Year's Day (School Closed) </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>February </strong><br>2/5/22: 2021 Winter Student Showcase Rescheduled <br>2/7: All Hands Meeting </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>March </strong><br>3/12/22: SoundLife Student Jam <br>3/26/22 - 4/02/22: Spring Break </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>April </strong><br>4/30/22: Free Arts Festival <br>4/30/22: SoundLife Student Jam </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>June </strong><br>6/4/22: 2022 Summer Student Showcase <br>6/21/22 - 7/22/22: Marlborough School Summer Program In Session w/ our Program Director Chris Vazquez</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>July </strong><br>⭐️ 7/25/22 - 7/29/22: SoundLife Summer Camp In Session ⭐️ </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>August </strong><br>8/27/22: SoundLife Student Jam </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>September </strong><br>9/5/22: Labor Day / Back To School </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>October </strong><br>10/29/22: SoundLife Jam </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>November </strong><br>11/24/22: Thanksgiving Holiday (School Closed) </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>December </strong><br>12/10/22: 2022 Winter Student Showcase <br>12/25/22: Christmas Day (School Closed) </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Here's to a fantastic 2022 that's full of awesome music and opportunities to learn!</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68845952022-01-31T10:33:13-08:002022-01-31T22:36:46-08:00Student of the Month: Kourosh <p><strong>Congratulations to Kourosh on being selected as our February Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7b816e6caadb9c2b6ae1d333ae7d8b73aabaed32/original/img-3554.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="Guitar Student" /></strong></p>
<p>Kourosh started taking <a contents="Guitar" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons" style="" target="_blank">Guitar</a> lessons at the age of six outside SoundLife with our former instructor Cuni. Now, at age 12, Kourosh has been playing the guitar for six years and has developed a diverse skill set to go along with his vast repertoire of music. Kourosh learned how to read and interpret tabs, chord charts, scale diagrams, and more. He knows his music theory, from arpeggios to appropriate chord scales, and he has the ear and the focus for perfecting solo transcriptions. Kourosh tackled monster guitar pieces such as "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica and the <a contents="“Headcuttin’ Duel”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPB2qbxuiLM" style="" target="_blank">“Headcuttin’ Duel”</a> from the movie <em>Crossroads</em> with Steve Vai and Ralph Macchio. </p>
<p>In 2021, after his longtime teacher moved out of state, Kourosh began taking lessons with SoundLife. In his first lesson, he shared his goal of learning the entirety of “Hotel California” by the Eagles. He already knew the intro, but endeavored to learn all of the solos, chords, and nuances throughout the song. For those who know, this is not a small goal, but more of a long-term commitment. Kourosh rose to that challenge, and we are happy to report that as of this month, he finished the song and is ready to perform it. </p>
<p>In November of 2021, Kourosh joined his first band along with students Riley (vocals), Devon (bass), and Rudy (drums). They are coached by our instructor Enrique. As with every band, each member gets to suggest band names and they vote on the final selection. In December, Kourosh’s band name received the most votes, and his band took on the name Undefined Rock. They will make their concert debut, performing two songs at our upcoming <a contents="Student Showcase on Saturday, February 5" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soundlife-showcase-xvi-tickets-242544034737" style="" target="_blank">Student Showcase on Saturday, February 5</a>. One of those two songs might just be “Hotel California.” </p>
<p>Congratulations, Kourosh, on all of your hard work, determination, and focus. Setting and achieving musical goals is what SoundLife is about. Thank you for being a great example and courageously sharing your hard work by taking the concert stage.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68834222022-01-29T17:02:37-08:002022-08-01T11:04:07-07:00Teacher Feature: A Musical Wizard – Samuel Ruff<p><strong>Teacher Feature showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/34f09670ae047e8df04c5b427c70ae6ef6ca1f36/original/screen-shot-2022-01-29-at-5-01-06-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="Sam Ruff | Drummer" /></p>
<p>Let’s give a drum roll for the drummer / so much more. Meet Samuel Ruff, aka Sam — drummer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, composer, and teacher! Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, Sam’s journey to the entertainment capital of the world is an inspiring, educational, and experiential adventure. Sam’s first stop after leaving Dayton was the city of Boston where Sam attended the <a contents="Berklee College Of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" style="" target="_blank">Berklee College of Music</a>, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in <a contents="Contemporary Writing &amp; Production" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://college.berklee.edu/cwp/bachelor-of-music-in-contemporary-writing-and-production" target="_blank">Contemporary Writing & Production</a> in 2020. We know what you’re thinking — what is “Contemporary Writing & Production?” This is an incredible program that combines elements of composition, arranging, advanced notation practices, conducting, and music production. It is the perfect major for the aspiring writer/producer, and that is just part of the skill set Sam brings to the table. </p>
<p>After receiving his undergraduate degree, Sam relocated to Spain to continue his education at Berklee’s Valencia campus. While living in Europe, he played in five different countries, including Switzerland, where he performed in jazz legend Lee Ritenour's band at the 2021 Festival da Jazz. In 2021, Sam received his Master’s degree in <a contents="Music Production, Technology, and Innovation" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://valencia.berklee.edu/academic-programs/master-degrees/master-in-music-technology-innovation/" target="_blank">Music Production, Technology, and Innovation</a>. The Master's program immerses students in advanced music technology techniques, sound design, app creation, video production, and more. Graduates of the program are shaping the future of music as we know it. </p>
<p>Sam relocated to North Hollywood, California, in late 2021. Together with his brother, Eddie, Sam operates <a contents="“Rough Records,”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ruff-records.com/" style="" target="_blank">RuffRecords,</a> a recording studio focused on song production, tracking, and mixing services. They are open for business and have already established an incredible <a contents="portfolio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ruff-records.com/artists" style="" target="_blank">portfolio</a> of work. </p>
<p>Throughout all of his experiences, Sam’s principal instrument has been drums. He is a phenomenal, passionate player with youthful, fiery energy and has established himself as an in-demand session musician/sideman. Sam is all a versatile multi-instrumentalist. With all of his knowledge, Sam is excited to inspire the next generation and help bring his students' goals to life. Sam teaches <a contents="Drums," data-link-label="Drum Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/drum-lessons" target="_blank">Drums,</a> <a contents="Guitar," data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons" target="_blank">Guitar,</a> <a contents="Piano" data-link-label="Keyboard & Piano Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/keyboard-piano-lessons" target="_blank">Piano</a>, <a contents="Voice," data-link-label="Voice Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/voice-lessons" target="_blank">Voice,</a> <a contents="Songwriting" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank">Songwriting</a>, <a contents="Music Production" data-link-label="Recording Program" data-link-type="page" href="/recording-program" target="_blank">Music Production</a>, Sound Design, and Music Theory. He is also an inspiring <a contents="Band Coach" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" target="_blank">Band Coach</a>. This, alongside his skills as a performer, writer, and engineer, makes him a Wizard, and we’re thrilled to share his magic with our community. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5b54ea97a9aa44fc1916ad6ee7067d9a5872a7f8/original/screen-shot-2022-08-01-at-10-59-02-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Lessons" /></p>
<hr><p>Interested in music lessons with Sam? <a contents="Get in touch with us!" data-link-label="Request Info" data-link-type="page" href="/request-info" target="_blank">Get in touch with us!</a></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68581152022-01-03T11:47:31-08:002022-01-03T21:54:48-08:00Student of the Month: Isaac Bernstein<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Isaac on being selected as our <br>January Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p>Isaac began studying electric bass and acoustic guitar with SoundLife co-founder Chris in the Fall of 2013, eventually settling on the bass the following year. Seeing as SoundLife officially formed in May of 2014, Isaac predates the school. He has participated in every single SoundLife Showcase that has ever happened. Altogether, that's 15 performances, with just two more to go. Isaac has performed solo, with tracks, with bands, and with our staff. Every single time Isaac finishes a performance, he aims forward to the next one, raising his own personal bar and constantly tackling new styles of music, techniques, and physically demanding parts. </p>
<p>The running joke in Isaac's lessons is "What are you listening to?" This is an inside joke because over the 8+ years that Isaac has been playing the bass, he has never once suggested a song or band. Yes, he is the only student to keep such a record. Now, that doesn't mean he is not practicing, playing, or growing on his instrument. He has always done everything asked of him, but it is funny because his musical tastes have been curated by his instructors and peers. Isaac will say, "I want to learn something technical" or "I want to learn how to improvise." Through this process of elimination, we have determined that Isaac loves Rock n' Roll, Funk, and Soul music with special attention to technically demanding songs that he has to work his way up to. </p>
<p>Isaac was accepted to Duke University in North Carolina. Now at first glance, you might think, "Oh that's nice for Isaac," but Duke has just a 7.7% acceptance rate, and he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and go to that school since he was very young. The skills that make Isaac successful when he performs help guide him in all that he does. Isaac knows how to set goals and vigorously work toward them. He declared that this was what he wanted and went after it. This kind of fearless dreaming combined with hard work and focus is what we hope to instill in others and strive for ourselves. Isaac exemplifies it. </p>
<p>When the summer comes and Isaac prepares to leave for school, we will be both sad and overjoyed as we always are when students transition to the next chapter of their lives. However, not every student has been with us from the very beginning. Isaac's support through our growth as a school, his passion and adventure mindset, and his work ethic will be traits that energize our program forever. Congratulations, Isaac!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0529509415bb1c47dbe5048ce63b98c38b50a609/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-02-31-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Isaac" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Isaac!</strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons/playing in a band/ performing?</strong> </p>
<p>There are several things that I like about lessons/playing in a band/performing. What I love about taking lessons is that they are always super helpful, I learn a lot, and I get to have Chris as a teacher. Chris is an amazing teacher who I feel very lucky to have had over the last few years. It’s very cool to see how he started SoundLife from the ground up, and it’s even cooler to be a part of it. Something that I love about performing in SoundLife is being able to play alongside other people through the bands. It’s very awesome to see everyone come together after practicing the pieces on their own and create something really special. It’s great to see how SoundLife has transitioned to include all these many talented bands they have — on top of the already amazing individual performances. From the first band performance ever at SoundLife where we played Green Day all the way to Stevie Wonder at this one, I’ve just loved all of it. The Winter and Summer Showcases are really special occasions, and it’s just truly been an awesome experience to be a part of it over the years. </p>
<p><strong>What role do you think music will play in your life? </strong></p>
<p>I’m not exactly sure yet, but I feel like music will always play some sort of role in my life. Music will definitely be in my life just by continuing to listen to music on the radio or on my headphones. It’ll continue being in my life by seeing concerts/bands perform. Perhaps whatever career I go into will have aspects of music tied into it. Or maybe I’ll join some jam sessions in the future. Either way, I’m sure music will be in my life somehow. Even if I don’t always realize it, music already does have a pretty big role in my life. And I think this will continue to be the case as I keep getting older. </p>
<p><strong>What aspect of the college experience are you most excited about? </strong></p>
<p>The aspect of the college experience that I’m most excited about at Duke next year is probably the school pride. Everyone who I’ve talked to at Duke loves Duke and loves the school. (I promise I didn’t only talk to the admission officers who are obligated to praise the school). Another thing about the school pride is that everyone’s always wearing the school merch, and everyone is super fanatic when it comes to the sports. There’s just a large sense of camaraderie among peers that I’m really looking forward to. I am especially excited to go to all the basketball games in Cameron next year. Another thing that I’m super excited about is that the Duke music department is actually located on the freshman campus. So I would definitely love to utilize that convenience a lot next year.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/dee4f40aee7c91d0ff0b9aca25b7fb7927ed384c/original/2014-06-01-soundlife-recital-492.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cdadb87465c998f135b0d143672743614196d66c/original/img-2436.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Bassist" /></p>
<p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68580982022-01-03T11:40:28-08:002022-01-04T09:07:54-08:002021 Recap: A Year in Review<p style="text-align: center;"><em>"A diamond is a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure" - Henry A. Kissinger </em></p>
<p>It happens every 365 days. Like clockwork, a new year is born and an old one fades away. Before we race to our “new year, new you” goals and push 2021 to the past, let’s take a look at some of the amazing music, events, articles, and accomplishments that 2021 brought us all. I hope these examples inspire families to set new goals together and students to continue reaching higher and higher in their artistic pursuits.</p>
<p>For help with creating a family or individual <a contents="“Game Plan”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/back-to-school-game-plan" style="" target="_blank">“Game Plan”</a>, check out our article defining how to create a balanced set of measurable goals. These goals can be more than “resolutions.” They can truly be a map on your adventure through 2022. Once you have your goals defined, check out <a contents="“How To Set And Achieve Your Goals”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/how-to-set-and-achieve-your-goals" style="" target="_blank">“How to Set and Achieve Your Goals”</a> and get started. Don’t be afraid to share these goals with your instructor so they can help support and guide you to success. </p>
<p>Now, back to our 2021 recap…As you scroll through the body of work that was 2021, I hope it washes away some of the doubt and uncertainty that may have colored this last month of the year. Let’s remember how far we’ve come. Let’s remind ourselves of what we’ve already done so we’re energized for what’s to come. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b71a7780bc04c232ed0af3de701baaa719429b5e/original/contact.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>SoundLife Artist Highlights in 2021 </strong></p>
<h4><em>Never Too Late </em></h4>
<p>In January of 2021, we kicked the year off with an <a contents="interview with our very first all adult band" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/student-artist-profile-never-too-late" style="" target="_blank">interview with our very first all-adult band</a>. They go by the name Never Too Late, which perfectly summarizes their mission and values. This amazing group of parents and friends brought passion and a willingness to learn into each and every rehearsal. Their videos and live performances stand as a continuing inspiration to other parents who might also want to join in on the fun and our younger students watching their incredible example. Never Too Late participated in Virtual Showcase Volume 3, performing a completely live version of <a contents="“California Dreamin.” " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=5989" style="" target="_blank">“California Dreamin.” </a>They also performed for two private events celebrating the release of renowned Chef Katie Chin’s <a contents="“Global Family Cookbook.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.goldenlabbookshop.com/book/9780804852258" style="" target="_blank"><em>Global Family Cookbook</em>.</a> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ac197cdb62ed81fb4183e3f4cedad2821c0a061f/original/screen-shot-2020-12-16-at-11-33-14-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><em>Natalie Bernstein </em></h4>
<p>In June of 2021, we released an incredible <a contents="interview " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/then-now-ep-1-natalie-bernstein" style="" target="_blank">interview</a> with SoundLife Artist and longtime student Natalie Bernstein. 2020 saw the birth of Natalie’s passion for songwriting, which continued into 2021. Natalie performed two originals completely live for our <a contents="Virtual Showcase V.3" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=6684" style="" target="_blank">Virtual Showcase V.3</a> and is preparing to perform a collection of new originals at our upcoming in-person Showcase on February 5, 2022. She wrote nearly 100 songs and refined her favorites. She also learned to record her own demos. In October of 2021, Natalie presented her originals to her father who gave her the green light to move forward with complete production on her first single. We look forward to the song being released in 2022. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8ca7601dcc3dcf28f0c7d27583babdb943f638f6/original/natalie-2.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Natalie Bernstein" /></p>
<h4><em>TBD/Vertigo </em></h4>
<p>The quartet known for many years as TBD had a transformational 2021. They kicked the year off with virtual rehearsals, eventually moving into in-person rehearsals, which led to our Virtual Showcase V.3. For this event, TBD performed <a contents=" 2 new songs" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=7200" style="" target="_blank">two new songs</a> (one cover and one original). Nick Palmer (vocals/keys/guitar) also released a video for his single <a contents="“Crickets”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=4314" style="" target="_blank">“Crickets,”</a> and Chase Mangum (vocals/bass) released a series of singles and accompanying videos. You can listen to and view all of Chase's work <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCstqwbcBEnVOSC6T-VJGYRw" style="" target="_blank">here</a>. In August, Nick moved to New York City for college, and Chase’s brother Austin joined the band, who now goes by the name Vertigo.</p>
<p>In September we featured Lucy (vocals/guitar) in an <a contents="article" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/then-now-ep-2-lucy-savant" style="" target="_blank">article</a> about her growth in music, on her instrument, and in her band. In November, Chase and Antonio, both seniors in high school, were focused on their college applications. Chase is passionate about attending school for music, while Antonio’s passions lie in the film world. Our SoundLife staff participated in backing up Chase for his college audition videos, which showcased his original works. We all had such a blast learning and performing Chase’s music. He has blossomed into an exceptional writer and producer. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/917fef308a2bcd5fdb61dde7a43f64378b27024d/original/band-coaching.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="TBD / Vertigo" /></p>
<h4>
<em>Brother</em> </h4>
<p>Currently, Brother consists of two active members, Ralston and Aidan. However, this group started the year off as a quintet and took 2021 by storm. They wrote and recorded throughout the pandemic, sharing files virtually while their coach kept everything organized. This workflow afforded them the opportunity to perform a brand-new original called <a contents="“The Fridge Song”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=5778" target="_blank">“The Fridge Song”</a> live for Virtual Showcase V.3, along with a music video for a fully recorded and produced cover version of <a contents="“Smash It Up”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/xldTNAsgMok" style="" target="_blank">“Smash It Up”</a> by The Damned. This music video saw the band members demolishing a house, which really did happen and I’m sure will be a memory the boys carry forever. This single is available on all streaming platforms. Brothers Austin and Chase left the group shortly after their single release to focus on school and their personal projects. Bassist Ford followed suit, but still joins the boys live. They are currently seeking a drummer, so if that’s you, email us <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:chris@soundlifelessons.com" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>
<h4><em>Rock Mojis/Feedback </em></h4>
<p>The Rock Mojis jumped into 2021 by preparing for Virtual Showcase 3. Though they lost their original bassist Jamie when he and his family moved up to Seattle, they regrouped with Laurel doing double duty on bass and vocals. The Rock Mojis ended up performing three songs for <a contents="Virtual Showcase V.3" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=6147" target="_blank">Virtual Showcase V.3</a>, which is no small feat when a band only rehearses in person once a month and had not performed together at all in over a year. In the summer, they participated in Performance Workshops for Steve and Kate’s Camp. These performances gave the band members an opportunity to mentor younger kids and share their joy of playing. In September of 2021, the Rock Mojis took on a new name. They are now Feedback, and with the new name came a new attitude and focus. Feedback performed at the Hesby Oaks “Monster Mash” in October, dishing out a flawless 25-minute set. They are fired up to perform at El Cid in February at our upcoming Showcase. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/9202f5fb1f70cbe03ff4771937a7ebe7c5660cff/original/home-login-privacy.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><em>Pillow Fight / Sweatervest </em></h4>
<p>Pillow Fight kicked off the year preparing their first song ever performed live for Virtual Showcase 3. They did a fantastic version of <a contents="“Lonely Boy”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=5262" style="" target="_blank">“Lonely Boy”</a> by the Black Keys. In the spring and summer, the band underwent a number of lineup changes. Founding member Hale had to leave the band due to scheduling conflicts, lead vocalist Zoe moved away, and longtime drummer Carter was also forced to leave due to scheduling conflicts. The band regrouped with new members Nate and Jonah, taking on the name Sweatervest. We can’t wait to hear them at the upcoming show. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6edb61b46533e66c45566b8813ebdbd26c1537bc/original/orpheus-flyer-universal-bar-grill-11-12-21.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Orpheus The Band" /></p>
<p><strong>Introducing Orpheus</strong></p>
<p>In the Fall of 2021 SoundLife began coaching a band called Orpheus. This talented quarter has been together for nearly five years. They came to SoundLife with a wealth of performance experience, having played all over Los Angeles, but with the Pandemic came a long pause. When we started working with the band there was a lot of rust to shake off and they rose to the challenge. They wrote new songs, learned new covers, and polished up some of their favorite standards. In November the boys performed a full 45 min set at the <a contents="Universal Bar and Grill in Studio City" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/PDd3mVdUveI" target="_blank">Universal Bar and Grill in Studio City</a>. Now they are preparing to perform a 60 min set for a charity event on January 7, followed by our rescheduled Winter Showcase on February 5. Needless to say, these boys are busy. </p>
<h4><em>Introducing Undefined Rock </em></h4>
<p>In November of 2021, a new SoundLife band was born taking the name Undefined Rock. These rockers have yet to take the stage, but they will be ready in February for their live debut, and we’re on the edge of our seats in anticipation. </p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Salute to the 2021 “Students of the Months” </strong></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="January - Antonio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-antonio" style="" target="_blank">January – Antonio</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="February - Jamie&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-jamie" style="" target="_blank">February – Jamie</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="March - Cole" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-cole" style="" target="_blank">March – Cole</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="April - Zoe&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-zoe" style="" target="_blank">April – Zoe</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="May - Nate&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-nate-9c7370fd-3981-4221-8304-cefeaf5f1eec" style="" target="_blank">May – Nate</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="une - Jameson" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-jameson" style="" target="_blank">June – Jameson</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="July - Riley&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-riley" style="" target="_blank">July – Riley</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="August - Nick" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-nick" style="" target="_blank">August – Nick</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="September - Mikayla&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-mikayla" style="" target="_blank">September – Mikayla</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="October - Jonah&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-of-the-month-jonah" style="" target="_blank">October – Jonah</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="November - Cormac&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student" style="" target="_blank">November – Cormac</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="December - Feedback&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/student-s-of-the-month-feedback" style="" target="_blank">December – Feedback</a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Articles from 2021</strong></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Sign Yourself: How To Release Your Own Music&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/sign-yourself-how-to-release-your-music" style="" target="_blank">Sign Yourself: How to Release Your Own Music</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Collaboration: Creating Music, Making Friends, and Having Fun" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/collaboration-creating-music-making-friends-and-having-fun" style="" target="_blank">Collaboration: Creating Music, Making Friends, and Having Fun</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="How To Get The Most Out Of Rehearsal Time&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-rehearsal-time" style="" target="_blank">How to Get the Most Out of Rehearsal Time</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Linear Notes For The Digital Age" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/liner-notes-for-the-digital-age" style="" target="_blank">Linear Notes for the Digital Age</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Overcoming Fear w/ Music&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/overcoming-fear-with-music" style="" target="_blank">Overcoming Fear with Music</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Learning To Fly: The Power Of Belief&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/learning-to-fly" style="" target="_blank">Learning to Fly: The Power of Belief</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Those Who Play Teach" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/those-who-play-teach" style="" target="_blank">Those Who Play Teach</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="The Legend Of Pat Martino&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/pat-martino-twice-the-legend" style="" target="_blank">The Legend of Pat Martino</a> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Charlie Watts: The Rock Never Rolled" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/charlie-watts-the-rock-that-never-rolled" style="" target="_blank">Charlie Watts: The Rock Never Rolled</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Industry Interviews </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Film Scoring &amp; Composing For Visual Media w/ Dave Lewis (Netflix/Disney)&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/chat-with-pros-film-scoring-composing-for-visual-media" style="" target="_blank">Film Scoring & Composing for Visual Media w/ Dave Lewis (Netflix/Disney)</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Auditioning, Touring &amp; Building A Career in Music w/ Derek Frank (Gwen Stefani)&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/chat-with-pros-auditioning-championing-your-friends-w-chris-wrate-kelsea-ballerini" style="" target="_blank">Auditioning, Touring & Building a Career in Music w/ Derek Frank (Gwen Stefani)</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Working As A Sideman, Networking, and Musical Direction w/ Chris Wrate (Kelsea Ballerini)&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/chat-w-pros-auditioning-touring-and-building-a-career-in-music" style="" target="_blank">Working As a Sideman, Networking, and Musical Direction w/ Chris Wrate (Kelsea Ballerini)</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Student Interviews </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Never Too Late&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/student-artist-profile-never-too-late" style="" target="_blank">Never Too Late</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Natalie Bernstein&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/then-now-ep-1-natalie-bernstein" style="" target="_blank">Natalie Bernstein</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Lucy Savant" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/then-now-ep-2-lucy-savant" style="" target="_blank">Lucy Savant</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">We look forward to creating more content for you in 2022! Be sure to <a contents="subscribe to our blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog" target="_blank">subscribe to our blog</a> to stay updated.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68355652021-12-14T09:22:26-08:002021-12-14T09:26:35-08:00You Definitely Know These Holiday Songs...<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b536134e202ede1f0f2db76b370631b4f1f6bcd0/original/screen-shot-2021-12-09-at-4-07-01-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>It's that festive time of year again, and we've got the list of all the must-listen-to holiday music for you! </strong></em></p>
<p>Our last holiday "Required Listening" list for Halloween was such a hit, that we decided to put another one together for you! This time we're counting down the Holiday music that you just can't miss: </p>
<h4><strong>1. "Run Rudolph Run" (Chuck Berry, 1958) </strong></h4>
<p>There was a time when rock and roll and Christmas might not have been thought to go together so well... leave it to Chuck Berry to solve that! In this <a contents="pretty-instant holiday classic" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiadNVhaGwk" style="" target="_blank">pretty-instant holiday classic</a>, he sings about Rudolph "reelin' like a merry-go-round" and suggests he take the freeway to town. Plus, anyone who's ever seen the movie <em>Home Alone</em> will probably visualize the McCallister family racing through the airport — this song was playing when they nearly missed their plane to France (sans Kevin, of course).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ff2ef4078a6fcfe1e1e81a4a58cdcd58d04d5da0/original/chuck-berry-run-rudolph-run.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3> </h3>
<h4><strong>2. "Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobbi Helms, 1957) </strong></h4>
<p>Oddly enough, <a contents="this festive 1957 song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0ajuTaHBtM" style="" target="_blank">the festive 1957 song "Jingle Bell Rock"</a> has had more success on the charts in recent years than ever before — it climbed all the way to #3 in January 2020! One of the most iconic songs of the season for nearly 65 years now, this one definitely puts you in the holiday spirit.</p>
<h4><strong>3. "Christmas Wrapping" (The Waitresses, 1981) </strong></h4>
<p>"<a contents="Christmas Wrapping" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARq6uYSsUq0" target="_blank">Christmas Wrapping</a>" is quite possibly the only Christmas song to actually describe the holiday season as many adults experience it — a grip of things and events you have to fit into your very hectic life. Singer Patty Donahue "wraps" (see what we did there?) about wanting to skip Christmas this year, but ultimately comes to a "very happy ending" when she meets someone special on a last-minute supermarket run. It's a cute song and a holiday classic.</p>
<h4><strong>4. "Little Saint Nick" (The Beach Boys, 1963) </strong></h4>
<p>This <a contents="Christmas-themed hot rod song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9rK8FmYog" style="" target="_blank">Christmas-themed hot rod song</a> was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. The single peaked at #3 on Billboard magazine's special seasonal weekly Christmas Singles chart and was such a hit that The Beach Boys decided to release a whole Christmas album the following year. </p>
<h4><strong>5. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Andy Williams, 1963) </strong></h4>
<p>If you've ever been to a department store anytime after November, you've certainly heard "<a contents="It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_R4pR1hck" target="_blank">It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year</a>" (and who are we kidding, there's pretty much no way you haven't heard it)! This is thought by many to be the official theme song of Christmas, as it's virtually inescapable during the holiday season. The song describes everything that makes the holidays so special and cozy. </p>
<h4>
<strong>6. "Christmas Time Is Here" (</strong>Vince Guaraldi Trio,<strong> 1965) </strong>
</h4>
<p>This is THE song that makes the 1965 (and still watched today) <em>Charlie Brown Christmas Special</em> so... well, special. Bringing jazz to Christmas parties everywhere since 1965, "Christmas Time Is Here" makes for the best background music at any holiday party — especially because <a contents="the vocal version" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PzetPqepXA" style="" target="_blank">the vocal version</a> with the choir of children's voices will make your heart sing with joy. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/10d213b8b21ecd45b7265f8847025e3aa9e645f0/original/ab67616d0000b27332b0f9b1e5ee30df7a91cec3.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3> </h3>
<h4>
<strong>7. "</strong>The Chanukah Song"<strong> (Adam Sandler, 2008) </strong>
</h4>
<p>As Adam Sandler points out, there are a lot of Christmas songs out there, but not so many Chanukah songs... and we're super glad he took it upon himself to change that! <a contents="Chanukah song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUCNAnp2QAI" style="" target="_blank">Sandler's Chanukah Song</a> sings that instead of just one day of presents, those who celebrate Chanukah get "8 crazy nights"! Complete with a listing of real-life Jewish celebrities (and even some with fictional connections to Judaism), this song points out that if you're Jewish, you're not alone. (Sandler, of course, is also Jewish — and we think that's pretty good company to be in!) </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e33c6806d336f9d10c5650a1dba5c2d4ba8e7f56/original/2e8443d100000578-0-image-a-13-1447731908513.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3> </h3>
<h4>
<strong>8. "</strong>Santa Claus Is Coming to Town<strong>" (Bruce Springsteen, 1975) </strong>
</h4>
<p>It seems like everyone has recorded a Christmas song... and the Boss is no different. This 1934 Christmas standard has been covered by many musical heavyweights, but in our opinion, none come close to capturing the excitement of Santa's arrival quite like <a contents="this version" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76WFkKp8Tjs" style="" target="_blank">Springsteen's version</a>. "You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry" sounds a little like a threat from Dad to us, but hey, the holiday season wouldn't be complete without this one!</p>
<h4>
<strong>9. "</strong>Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree<strong>" (Brenda Lee, 1958) </strong>
</h4>
<p>Another great one featured in the classic holiday film <em>Home Alone</em>, the vocals in <a contents="this song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qYz7rfgLWE" style="" target="_blank">"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"</a> really stand out... Perhaps that's because when she recorded this song, Brenda Lee was just 13 years old! 'Rock' itself being relatively new at the time, the mention of it in the song's title made it an instant party starter. </p>
<h4><strong>10. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (Mariah Carey, 1994) </strong></h4>
<p>You knew it, you saw it coming. There is no way anyone can make a list of holiday music without including this <a contents="pop-culture phenomenon of a song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY" style="" target="_blank">pop-culture phenomenon of a song</a>. After all, Mariah's Christmas wish list contains only one item: love. Awwwww.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/82e9db18ad4252818411f6fb36ce4238f50fb267/original/square-1450047922-mariah.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68317472021-12-06T11:03:43-08:002021-12-13T22:54:42-08:00Student(s) of the Month: Feedback<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to FEEDBACK on being selected as our <br>December Student(s) of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/9202f5fb1f70cbe03ff4771937a7ebe7c5660cff/original/home-login-privacy.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></strong></p>
<p>"Feedback" might sound new to some, but these students have been a part of the SoundLife family for many years. You might remember them as The Rock Mojis. </p>
<p>In August of 2021, the band found their new name and a new stride. As they began shaking off the dust from over a year of not being able to regularly rehearse or perform together, they set their eyes on the school "Monster Mash." The event was set to be held in October, and with their eyes on the prize, they got to work, building an entire set from the ground up. </p>
<p>When the event arrived, they had a 7-song set loaded with transitions, background vocals, pedal and patch change, and more ready to go. They performed 25 minutes straight with their friends screaming for more. </p>
<p>Immediately after the performance, they started preparing for our Winter Showcase. They learned a brand new song and refined their set even further. The last time they took the stage for a live in-person Showcase was in December of 2019. This is not that band. They have grown, matured, and progressed into real rock stars with a captivating show. </p>
<p>Words can't begin to describe how proud we are of their growth and determination. Look out, world, Feedback is coming! </p>
<p>***Feedback is Laurel (Bass/Vocals), Cormac (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals), Dylan (Lead Guitar), Becca (Keys), and Guy (Drums.)</p>
<p>Check out the most recent performance from Feedback at our Virtual Showcase 3:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="HKSi6hFOVHs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/HKSi6hFOVHs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HKSi6hFOVHs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/68280052021-12-06T10:08:55-08:002021-12-06T11:43:46-08:00Pat Martino: Twice the Legend <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2bc8313347965958775d6938eddf1de8c046e5bf/original/screen-shot-2021-12-02-at-11-45-16-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Pat Martino Jazz Guitarist " /></p>
<p>It was hard to hear the news, though we all knew it was coming. On November 1, 2021, world-renowned jazz guitarist Pat Martino passed away at the age of 77. Having not worked since 2018 due to a chronic respiratory disorder, Pat Martino was breathing on oxygen support and unable to play. Eventually, his body gave way, and the music world will never be quite the same.</p>
<p>Perhaps many of our readers are not aware of Mr. Martino’s career, which spanned six decades and influenced countless household names in the jazz world. Pat Martino’s style, elegance, and spirit are unparalleled. There had never been a player like him, and even though every jazz student will learn his technique and approach for the rest of time, trying to capture some of the magic for their own, Pat Martino will stand alone as a unique voice in the history of America’s deepest musical tradition, Jazz. And that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of his inspiring story. </p>
<p>When I first saw Pat Martino perform live in 2002, I was a teenager in my senior year of high school. My guitar teacher was a man named <a contents="Carl Filipiak" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.carlfilipiak.com/" style="" target="_blank">Carl Filipiak</a>, a local Baltimore legend, who absolutely adored Pat Martino’s playing and spirit. A group of us went to the show —Carl, a number of his students, myself, and my father — and we were fortunate to go backstage afterward to meet the legendary Pat Martino. Upon shaking his hand, I was immediately struck by how delicate and frail he was. To this day I remember that handshake. He did not have a firm grip. In fact, very much the opposite. He was gentle but looked you directly in the eyes, and clearly, his spirit was present and grateful.</p>
<p>That show opened up my eyes to what virtuosity in an improvised setting not only looks and sounds like, but to how it feels. It has the ability to transcend, to bring an audience with the performer to another plane of existence. Upon leaving, I asked my father and my teacher everything I could think to ask about Pat Martino. What records should I buy? Who else did he play with? What is he working on now? Where does he live? On and on…. Then my teacher said, “Well, there are two Pat Martinos. The most inspiring thing about Pat is not his playing now. It’s that he learned how to play from scratch twice.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a2a308444382f64333c8e2a659ec303cc4ef8641/original/screen-shot-2021-12-02-at-11-46-13-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Strings Pat Martino Jazz Guitar" /></p>
<p>Pat Martino’s father was a jazz singer in Philly and briefly took guitar lessons with all-time great Eddie Lang. This is what first exposed Pat to the guitar. He began intensely studying the instrument at 10 years old and decided to leave school in the 10th grade to devote himself entirely to music (We are not recommending this to any kids today). During visits to his music teacher, Dennis Sandole, Pat was introduced to saxophone great John Coltrane, who took him under his wing. Throughout his teens, Pat became an in-demand guitarist in Philly, eventually outgrowing the city and relocating to Harlem, New York, where Jazz was thriving.</p>
<p>During the 1960s, Pat Martino played as a sideman with Jack McDuff and Don Patterson. On his 18th birthday, he signed his first record deal as a bandleader with Prestige Records, the same label that signed Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, and Sonny Rollins. The albums created during this period are groundbreaking and are part of jazz literature and jazz vocabulary. They are classics. My personal favorite is <a contents="“El Hombre”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0LbGlGfbAU" style="" target="_blank">El Hombre</a> from 1967. It is considered the first jazz album to embrace psychedelia. </p>
<p>In 1976, Pat Martino started experiencing extreme headaches. These were eventually diagnosed as symptoms of aneurysms. After being told that his condition could be terminal, Pat underwent extensive brain surgery. Upon waking up, he could not remember anything from his past life. He did not recognize his wife, children, parents, friends, or students. He had no memory of himself or who he was as a musician, and he no longer had the ability to play the guitar. Pat is quoted as saying he felt "dropped cold, empty, neutral, cleansed...naked."</p>
<p>There is a beautiful documentary of this whole period of Pat Martino’s life called <em><a contents="“Open Road.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_GaAvByI34" style="" target="_blank">Open Road.</a></em> I highly suggest all music students watch this. Over the following decade, Pat Martino made a remarkable recovery. By studying his own recordings and with the help of his students, he relearned how to play from scratch, eventually making a comeback in 1987. He continued his career until his health declined in 2018. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/12d925d0e9b424b58ff6067d28510a9f1a841a75/original/screen-shot-2021-12-02-at-11-45-35-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Pat Martino " /></p>
<p>Pat Martino is a musical sage. His perspective, having been through such a unique experience, remained calm, patient, and filled with gratitude. His style of playing is the fastest, most-aggressive jazz imaginable, but his demeanor was always that of a man built to serve. He taught privately and at the college level. He wrote books documenting his harmonic approach to the guitar. He held master classes and took part in seminars. Pat was very much in service to jazz culture for the majority of his life, working to both preserve it and push it forward.</p>
<p>When Pat Martino fell ill in 2018, he was rendered virtually penniless, as many jazz musicians are. He and his family could not afford the rising health care costs. As the bills began to pile up, his friend and longtime manager Joseph Donofrio created a <a contents="GoFundme." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/y3czxh-pat-martino-fund" style="" target="_blank">GoFundMe.</a> Fans from all over the world began showing their support and love for this incredible man. Reading through the comments, it’s hard not to get teared up. This is the power we all have. A life in service is a life well-lived. In the end, they raised $250,000 — from just a simple post on his website. That was the impact he had on fans and jazz lovers from his decades-long career.</p>
<p>Pat Martino's talent and contributions left an indelible mark on the jazz community. His musical spirit will always live on in his playing.</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez Founder" />Article by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67894322021-11-02T07:21:58-07:002022-05-17T23:28:37-07:00Student of the Month: Cormac <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Cormac on being selected as our <br>November Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5c14e6ed28e90fbefccd91886082f18c37a2b98a/original/image0.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Student" /></strong></p>
<p>Cormac has been a long-time member of the SoundLife family. He began taking piano lessons with Christa along with his sister, Laurel, and after a few performances and roaring crowds, Cormac and Laurel joined forces with their classmates to form the band Rock Mojis. In this band, it was his goal to play the guitar, even though he had never done so before. He made that goal a reality, and we're so proud of him! </p>
<p>Cormac took up the roll of rhythm guitar behind his bandmate Dylan, who had considerably more experience. In the beginning, he played on a small pink guitar and worked on moving root notes around on the guitar much like a bassist would. This helped him develop his timing and awareness of song forms even though he could not yet grasp chords. Through dedication and hard work, coupled with help from his musical father, Brian, Cormac rapidly excelled on his new instrument. Each week at band practice, he showed noticeable improvement in his rhythm, dexterity, tone, and chordal knowledge. This led to more confidence in his performance and his decisions about what parts to take in each song. </p>
<p>This past weekend Cormac's band, now called Feedback, took the stage at their school's Monster Mash Halloween fair. They played a 7-song set, complete with transitions between songs, stage banter, and some killer rock star moves. And Mr. Cormac, guitarist extraordinaire, even played a killer guitar solo! </p>
<p>Now Cormac continues to take piano lessons along with his weekly guitar lessons. He's also now in two bands, Feedback and Sweatervest. Sweatervest will make their concert debut at our upcoming December Showcase, so you don't want to miss it! Outside of music, Cormac loves baseball and can often be found playing games with multiple teams all season long. </p>
<p>Cormac's story would not be possible without the awesome encouragement of his parents, who provide that extra support or push when needed. Even though we're proud to teach Cormac in private lessons and in his band, his greatest music teacher is unquestionably his father, who spends that extra time between lessons and rehearsals helping him hone his skills. </p>
<p>Congratulations, Cormac! We can't wait to see what you do next. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5a3afbedb211e7c351c0993531d1351196645dc4/original/image1.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Cormac Playing Baseball" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Cormac! </strong></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about music education? </strong></p>
<p>My two favorite things about taking lessons and being in a band are that I get to hang out with my friends and play with them, and I also get the opportunity to perform in front of others. </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong></p>
<p>One of my short-term goals is to play hard solos without too much trouble. My long-term goals are to learn different styles and to play in many bands throughout my life. </p>
<p><strong>Who is your favorite artist/singer/player? </strong></p>
<p>My favorite guitar player is Tom Morello because he has a lot of stage presence and he is really confident. My favorite band that he is in is Rage Against the Machine because he always makes really cool sounds and he always plays really well. I also like how he plays awesome solos and he is a nice person. When I grow up, I want to be like him because he is a great guitar player and a cool guy.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67819842021-10-26T11:28:33-07:002023-03-20T11:46:51-07:00Those Who Play, Teach<p>As I sit to write this month’s feature, I can’t help but feel a chip on my shoulder — something heavy and frustrating that has been eating away at me. It’s a philosophy that, while harmless in its intention, is dangerous over time. Today I am writing in the air, flying from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to perform a string of shows with the legendary soft rock band Air Supply. Today is Wednesday. We’ll play tomorrow just outside of Philly, then fly up to Boston, then drive to Connecticut before flying home. Altogether we’ll play three shows in three states over three days. And this is exactly why I feel compelled to relay my concern. </p><p>Fairly recently I came walking out of a student’s home, as I usually do, to find a gathering of gentlemen outside of a neighboring home. Seeing the guitar on my back, one of the men hollered out, “What do have in the there, boy? What kinda axe?” Having heard this many times before, I turned around and shouted back, “Taylor. C-114.” He nodded in approval, acknowledging that through my answer, we could continue this conversation further. We continued with small talk about different guitars — electrics and acoustic, Strats and Les Pauls. Eventually, the man said, “So, are you a player or a teacher?” To which I confidently replied, “Both.” </p><p>Without hesitating, the man continued on to tell me how his friend standing beside him was a real musician, he was famous, and I should look him up. His friend had played with many artists and toured the world, etc…He seemingly dismissed my comment that I was both an educator and a performer, instead taking the approach of trying to inspire me to dream big with stories of his friend's travels. With humility and great respect, I introduced myself further to his friend. Eventually, I was able to relay that I too was a touring musician with decades of experience and that I was very much living my dream. We continued on with an enlightening conversation, but what lingered on was that initial question and what it represents. “Are you a player or teacher?” </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/bd39c92c915271883d18220029413ec790349b5a/original/isaac-ibbott-198404-unsplash.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><h4><strong>Are You a Player or a Teacher?</strong></h4><p>Musicians grow up hearing the phrase, “Those who can’t play, teach.” Or "Those who can, do, and those can't, teach." Or even worse, "Those who can't do, teach, and those can't teach, teach gym." And this philosophy is so ingrained in our community that many actually look at teaching as a step down, a compromise made by those who “can’t cut it” or “don’t have what it takes.” They somehow represent failure. The phrase “teacher hands” means someone who has been teaching without playing for so long that their technique is gone.</p><p>Between the ages of 22 and 30, musicians are often fresh out of college, looking for work and saddled with college debt. They quickly take a teaching job to pay the bills, but with it comes a certain amount of shame because they’re not doing what they really want to do. This shame leads them to prioritize auditions, gigs, rehearsals, and sessions over teaching. After burning bridges with one music store or school after another from too many scheduling changes or last-minute cancellations, they finally get a few gigs that provide enough for them to stop teaching. But the lifestyle is too inconsistent, forcing them to live in a chaotic state of uncertainty and never able to get out from under their debt. Over time this chokes their life, restricting them from being able to buy a home or raise a family. Some musicians go on like this forever, but most walk away from their instrument altogether. Thus the statistics of a successful career in music plummet, resentment grows, mental health becomes unbalanced, and society as a whole agrees, being a musician is not a “wise” choice. </p><p>The residual effect of this is that our innate duty to pay it forward goes away. It gets covered up by our fear of failure and its association with teaching. The voice of our inner child yearning to share gets silenced. Education is our duty. It is our responsibility as citizens of the world, and the more success someone has in any given field, the more they have to offer someone coming up behind them. In the music world, this means that the “doers” who are shamed for also being teachers, the ones with the most knowledge to share, get silenced. So many musicians have tremendous insight and keep it to themselves, not because they are selfish, but because they are scared. They are scared that teaching will interrupt their ambitions instead of strengthening them. This is how we end up with generations of musicians with exceptional skills and no idea how to make a living. </p><h4><strong>Those Who Play, Teach</strong></h4><p>Do you see the dominos falling? We do this to educators. Why can’t we see that our educators are integral to society? That kids are told they can dream big, but without inspiring leaders showing them the way, their dreams are meaningless? I want to change the phrase from here on out to “Those who play, teach.” When a small child learns something, what is the first thing they do? They share it with everyone they know. They teach. It is our nature to share our experiences and wisdom. This is how we grow as a society and as human beings. If we devalue the importance of this tradition, we risk damaging the evolutionary process. Bitter teachers make bitter students who one day become even more bitter teachers. In the words of Mr. Miyagi: “There are no bad students, just bad teachers.” </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c6fd3a45157bc64fbf7615bbec0e128581042006/original/screen-shot-2021-10-21-at-1-29-44-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>So how do we reverse this? How do we flip the script? At SoundLife, we aim to create a different model for our teachers and to bridge the gap between professionals and educators in the hope that they will one day be one and the same. We do not have a brick-and-mortar building, and we never will. This allows us flexibility with scheduling for both the instructor and the student, which ultimately allows the teacher to continue to pursue their personal passions while maintaining a strong relationship with their students. We encourage the teachers that work with us to take every opportunity possible to further them in their career, as long as they communicate with their students and cancel or reschedule lessons in a respectful and timely manner. Taking it one step further, we celebrate their work at every touchpoint possible. We share their successes with our community on social media, featured articles, and in email, and lift them up in our team meetings.</p><p>Over time, the student and instructor grow together, creating a bond built on trust. The trust comes from the student knowing their teacher is out there chasing dreams, and so can they. Their teacher is bringing everything they’re learning into the lessons and giving them an advantage in navigating their own dreams. On the other side, the teacher now has the one thing that musicians struggle with most: certainty. They have a stable income that does not restrict their ability to build the life they want. Instead, it aims to create an environment where they can love the life they’re living. </p><p>For the musicians who built a career touring, we reach out and find ways for them to share their insights with our community so they too can continue to “teach.” We do this through our interview series, and soon through online master classes. Ultimately our goal is to create a space for every musician with the right spirit and reverence for the importance of music education to have a place where they can mentor and inspire the next generation. We will beat the stereotype. Musicians should and can be proud to teach. We will write a new story in which the man on the street says, “So you play and teach? Just as it should be.”</p><hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" alt="Chris Vazquez | guitarist" />Article by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67843442021-10-23T12:31:19-07:002021-10-25T22:25:58-07:00Spooky Songs: Required Listening for Halloween<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/10698971e6c1017c4f578a368f547cc91e950ea4/original/screen-shot-2021-10-22-at-4-15-07-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>It's the scariest time of the year, and we've got the list of the best Halloween music for you! </strong></p>
<p>It's Halloweentime, and you know what that means...we get to put together a list of the best music to enjoy the season with. There have been some killer Halloween anthems over the years, some on purpose and some accidental. Let's count them down! </p>
<h4><strong>1. "Monster Mash" (Bobby Pickett, 1962) </strong></h4>
<p>It might not qualify as the scariest, but the Monster Mash pretty much tops every Halloween list because of how absolutely iconic it is. Released in 1962, the song was a mainstream hit at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, going all the way to position #1. Bobby and his band the Crypt-Kickers wrote another monster track for Christmas, “Monster’s Holiday”...bet you didn't know that. (Plus, those faces...<a contents="click here&nbsp;to see him perform it" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gjkBykpWPE" style="" target="_blank">click here to see him perform it</a> on American Bandstand!)</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/vNuVifA7DSU" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c4998d2ca7735a8564da32e63151ab282b17b2ef/original/screen-shot-2021-10-22-at-4-15-48-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Bobby Pickett" /></a></p>
<h4><strong>2. "I Put A Spell On You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins, 1956)</strong></h4>
<p>Chances are you've heard several versions of this song! The original was written in 1956 by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and went on to be listed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. This is one song that's been covered numerous times by numerous artists, including Marilyn Manson, Nina Simone, Annie Lenox, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Sonique. <a contents="Listen to it here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/82cdnAUvsw8" style="" target="_blank">Listen to it here.</a></p>
<h4><strong>3. "Ghostbusters" (Ray Parker Jr., 1984) </strong></h4>
<p>You guessed it: the title track from <em>Ghostbusters</em>. It was written by Ray Parker, Jr., and was the title track in the 1984 movie of the same name. It only took Parker a few days to write the song, and it hit the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 and stayed there for three weeks! Check out <a contents="the music video" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe93CLbHjxQ" style="" target="_blank">the music video</a>, which was clearly made in the '80s.)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1d07d65d585f61ca625462ed788d4b8fd933269f/original/screen-shot-2021-10-22-at-4-17-36-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Ray Parker Jr." /></p>
<h4><strong>4. "This Is Halloween" (Danny Elfman, 1993) </strong></h4>
<p>We all know this one was written by Danny Elfman for the movie <em>Nightmare Before Christmas</em>, and it's definitely a Halloween classic. The 1993 Disney movie about Halloween Town has also become a beloved favorite. Danny Elfman has a talent for making spooky-sounding songs for films like <em>Sleepy Hollow</em>, <em>Tales from the Crypt</em>, and <em>Army of Darkness</em>. Did you know there's a Marilyn Manson cover of this song? He takes the creepy to a whole new level. <a contents=" Listen to it here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/qsYtRZ4SaaI" style="" target="_blank">Listen to it here.</a></p>
<h4><strong>5. "Halloween" (Misfits, 1981) </strong></h4>
<p>The fifth single by the horror punk band Misfits, <a contents="Halloween" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfJkvnXx8vw" style="" target="_blank">Halloween</a> was released on October 31, 1981. This was the first Misfits release to use their monster-inspired logo and the first to refer to the band as simply Misfits. The lyrics to the song are very inspiring...for a super creepy Halloween! </p>
<h4><strong>6. "Thriller" (Michael Jackson, 1983) </strong></h4>
<p>Key on any list of Halloween songs will always be "Thriller"! The <a contents="music video for the song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA&t=1s" style="" target="_blank">music video for the song</a> was directed by <em>American Werewolf in London</em> director John Landis and featured decaying zombies with killer choreography. It won three of the six MTV Video Music Awards it was nominated for in 1984. This song is arguably one of the most famous Michael Jackson tunes ever, and it was the 7th top-ten single from the album.</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/sOnqjkJTMaA" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/03addfe283b38fdf94123268c90b33aa8462938e/original/screen-shot-2021-10-22-at-4-17-48-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Thriller" /></a></p>
<h4><strong>7. <em>Nightmare on Elm Street</em> Theme (Charles Bernstein, 1984) </strong></h4>
<p>The original theme song from Nightmare on Elm Street needs to make this list. If you're having a Halloween party, it would not be complete without this music playing eerily in the background. Composed by Charles Bernstein, <a contents="this track" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UruKZqvEHY" style="" target="_blank">this track</a> takes you right back to the world of the horror flick. </p>
<h4><strong>8. "Somebody's Watching Me" (Rockwell, 1984) </strong></h4>
<p>Surely you've heard <a contents=" this song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY&feature=youtu.be" style="" target="_blank">this song</a>, and despite the creepy lyrics, it sounds so poppy that you've probably never associated it with Halloween at all! With vocals from Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson, this album hit the #2 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. The music video features Rockwell coming home to what appears to be a haunted house...and it turns out it's zombies that are watching him!</p>
<h4><strong>9. "Red Right Hand" (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, 1994)</strong></h4>
<p>If you've seen the movie <em>Scream</em>, then you've heard <a contents="this creepy song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxePKps87k" style="" target="_blank">this creepy song</a> by Australian band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It's also the theme song to the show Peaky Blinders, and everyone from Arctic Monkeys to Snoop Dogg has covered this track. A Halloween classic for sure!</p>
<h4><strong>10. "Heads Will Roll" (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 2009)</strong></h4>
<p>The topic is plenty terrifying (and a little gross!) — but <a contents="the song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auzfTPp4moA" style="" target="_blank">the song</a> really makes you want to dance. Written from the viewpoint of the Queen of Hearts in Lewis Carroll's <em>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</em>, this killer track was remixed by a Canadian DJ named A-Trak for the movie <em>Project X</em>. The remix has over <a contents="160 million views on YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or3U2rXxvQw" target="_blank">160 million views on YouTube</a>! </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67658502021-10-04T12:01:14-07:002022-05-24T22:29:03-07:00Student of the Month: Jonah<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Jonah on being selected as our <br>October Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1a4652b1b61ecb1c364578c7a28b4354d21a3dac/original/jonah-drums-picture.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Drum Student" /></strong></p>
<p>Jonah joined the SoundLife family in June of 2021, but his journey on the drums began three years ago. By the time he met his instructor, Enrique, Jonah already had a strong skill set and passion for playing. In quick order, Jonah joined a new band with other students in his neighborhood. Come to find out, Jonah had actually played on the same baseball team with one of his fellow bandmates years prior, and a picture of that team hangs on the wall in their rehearsal space. It was meant to be. After weeks of rehearsal, the band took on the name Sweatervest. </p>
<p>Jonah's instructor Enrique has had nothing but positive feedback from their lessons. He says, "In the short time I have been teaching Jonah, I have noticed his passion and drive for making music, as well as his great attention to detail and fine-tuned ear. I realized I can convey new study materials and concepts to him very quickly, so I have given him reading and endurance exercises that I believe will add to his already quite-developed drumming vocabulary. Apart from his drumming, he has also shown to be quite attuned to the production and writing side of music, which I am excited to explore with him further." </p>
<p>Switching instructors after three years can be very difficult for any student. Playing music with strangers can be terrifying. Change can be a challenge, but Jonah faced these challenges with tremendous courage. He has taken the wonderful foundation he laid and continues to build on it, while also making new friends in the process. We're thrilled to celebrate Jonah's hard work and progress, and we're on the edge of our seats with excitement for the debut of Sweatervest. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3bb7c97e437a18f6801a7b6520d993d0eb67572b/original/jonah-picture-carmel.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Drum Lessons" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><u><strong>Q&A: Get to Know Jonah! </strong></u></p>
<p><strong>What do you like most about taking lessons, playing in a band, etc? </strong></p>
<p>I like taking lessons with Enrique because he has helped me improve reading sheet music and my drumming skills. He is also really nice and makes the lessons really enjoyable. I like playing in a band because it’s fun to play music with friends, and I enjoy working together with my bandmates to improve our music. I am looking forward to performing with my band sometime soon. </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal with music? </strong> </p>
<p>To be the best drummer that I can be. </p>
<p><strong>Who's your favorite artist/singer/player (and why)? </strong> </p>
<p>This is a hard question. I do not have one favorite, but I love Drake, Lil Nas X, Queen, ACDC, and the White Stripes. I like these artists because their songs are catchy, and I enjoy playing the drums to their music.</p>
<p>---</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67588262021-09-27T10:14:10-07:002021-11-14T17:50:24-08:00Teacher Feature: The Power of Music – Anna Mezentseva<p><span class="font_regular"><strong><em>Teacher Feature</em> showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be! </strong></span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/53b68cc2469d8365268709766e9a0b7e291f214a/original/screen-shot-2021-09-27-at-10-12-13-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="Anna Mezentseva | Piano | Songwriting" /></p>
<p>Born in BarnAul, a small town in Siberia, Russia, Anna Mezentseva found her way to Los Angeles through the transformative power of music. As a vocalist, pianist, and songwriter, Anna followed her dreams from BarnAul to Boston, studying with the top contemporary instructors in the world at Berklee College of Music. Go ahead and read that back: From Russia to Boston, that’s what music can do. </p>
<p>Anna started writing songs, singing, and performing at a very young age, but being from a small town and from a family of non-musicians, she put her dream aside and pursued linguistics for five years. After all, music to many is — like most “dreams” — a hobby rather than a career path. However, Anna was meant to shine, and she couldn’t shake the passion to pursue music. While studying linguistics, she continued to write, perform, and make videos until one day a friend pointed her toward Berklee. She applied and was accepted, and before she knew it, a path toward her dreams was created. </p>
<p>In Boston, Anna strengthened her skills and honed her craft. Berklee is a melting pot of students and educators from all over the world. Being a part of their student body is like living in a town full of nothing but musicians. This environment helps shape students and shows them just how big the world of music really is. Behind the ideas that everyone has of a “musician” are thousands of jobs and career paths. Berklee helps instill in students a belief that there is a place for every musician in this great big world, and helps arm them with tools to navigate. </p>
<p>Anna found her place in Los Angeles, citing the ambitious energy of the city as her inspiration for moving. Since relocating to Los Angeles, Anna has become an incredible mentor and teacher while continuing to pursue her goals as a writer and singer with her group, <a contents="HalOver" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://musicdaily.app/halover-is-finally-back-with-never-truly-alone/" style="" target="_blank">HalOver</a>. Her original project, which is a writer/producer duo with a friend from her time at Berklee, is deep and dark dance-oriented pop music. Her writing is mature, and the production is top-notch. </p>
<p>We feel blessed to have Anna as a member of our SoundLife family. Her students receive so much inspiration and information. Aside from seeing her students grow on their instruments, we love seeing them grow in their love for music. This is a direct reflection of Anna’s love for music. We look forward to witnessing Anna grow in her career and continue to inspire our student body. Check out her original project HalOver, and follow them on Instagram <a contents="@thisishalover&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/thisishalover/" style="" target="_blank">@thisishalover</a>.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67425772021-09-13T17:59:05-07:002021-09-16T22:40:58-07:00Then & Now Ep.2: Lucy Savant<p>Welcome to Episode 2 of our series <em>Then & Now: Student Stories</em>. Today we're talking with SoundLife student Lucy Savant. As a vocalist, guitarist, and member of student band TBD, Lucy has been an incredible presence in the SoundLife family for over eight years. She began taking guitar lessons with our Program Director, Chris, at the age of 8. Then, with the support and encouragement of her family, she found her way to the stage at our Showcases, first with other students and eventually with her own band. Now at 16 years old, Lucy is a skilled musician with an energetic stage presence and a great sense of humor and fun that she brings to every lesson, rehearsal, and show.</p>
<p>Lucy's musical growth over this long period of time is inspiring. From playing cover songs with the recordings to writing and singing original songs with TBD, Lucy went from being the youngest on our stage to being a role model and inspiration for younger students. Throughout that time, she followed various muses, including her early love of musicals (such as Hamilton), her exploration of Queen, and her love of Christmas music. Lucy is most productive when focused on a project. Whether it be a song, a small part, a guitar solo, or harmony, her strength is in her preparation and focus for a performance.</p>
<p>On stage, Lucy went from being somewhat reserved and shy to being a full-blown rock star. With her band TBD, she has performed at all of our SoundLife Showcases since 2016, along with shows at Lucky Strike in Hollywood and Rain in Toluca Lake. TBD has also performed for a number of community and charity events throughout Los Angeles. These experiences have helped Lucy develop a command of both her instrument and her voice. In today's conversation, Lucy talks one-on-one with her teacher Chris about her journey in music—the present and the future. Watch below or read the transcript. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="OAjP6IfFCXM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/OAjP6IfFCXM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OAjP6IfFCXM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>---</strong></p>
<p><strong>Chris:</strong> Alright, we're here with Lucy Savant. Lucy, I'm gonna let you introduce yourself, but I'll do a little intro myself. We met quite a long time ago. It seems like we were just talking a minute ago and determined the year was 2013. You were taking private lessons at Marlborough School Summer Program with me, and that turned into so much more, from private lessons to bands and things, I'm sure we'll talk about it. Why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you? </p>
<p><strong>Lucy:</strong> Okay, yeah, so I'm Lucy Savant. Like Chris said, I've been taking lessons from him since 2013. I was eight. I'm now 16, and I play guitar, and I sing both in a band. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> That's pretty darn cool. So when you started taking music lessons, and I'm pretty sure I know what you're gonna say, but what was the most challenging part of learning to play the guitar? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Right when we started, I was asked to learn "Blackbird" by The Beatles, and that's the song that made me wanna quit guitar. I couldn't get it down, but now I can play it like the back of my hand. I think that was the hardest thing right in the beginning. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I had the same thing happen, but not with "Blackbird." When I started playing guitar, it was the F chord. I could not get that little finger to bar over the first two strings, and I told my dad, "I'm gonna quit." And he was like, "That's fine. Just get that F chord down and show it to me, and whenever you've got it, we'll cancel the lessons and you can quit." And I was like, "That seems like a fair deal." Well, here we are 30 years later. </p>
<p>So you obviously did master "Blackbird." What kept you going with lessons, even though you were so frustrated with that? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> I think my mom. She would always tell me that if I stopped playing, I would regret it and that my siblings all regret stopped playing instruments. I was just blackmailed into it, but I appreciate the blackmail. It worked. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f385a0d1ff2c9895ddf1a8e26fcb396c78e55597/original/screen-shot-2021-09-12-at-4-28-31-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="TBD Live" /></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> So, where do you think the point was where it went from being kind of frustrating to rewarding and fun? </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Once I started to learn chords and I knew that I could put them together to learn songs, I think that was the turning point, and I finally knew there was an end to all my struggles. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> How long do you think that took? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Not too long. The beginning was definitely tough, but I think it's cool that I get to keep learning new things all the time, that I can still have that struggle and still end up figuring it out. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I love that part of it. So you started with just lessons and then started doing performances with SoundLife after. Pretty quickly into taking lessons, you started getting on stage. In the beginning, you were getting on stage either by yourself or with some other students that you were just kind of jumping in with and then playing. This is before you had your own band. Talk a little bit about those experiences. </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Yeah, it was super cool to be able to finally be on stage and perform the stuff that I had been working on, but my favorite part about it was being up there with other musicians, even if it wasn't my own band, because I just liked it. It was just super fun. I liked being up there and working off of each other, and it makes the whole experience of being on stage just so much better. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Now, did you have nerves? Were you scared at all of performing, or was that never a thing? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Probably, yes. Definitely some nerves, but it kinda all goes away once you're up there. I think I still do get nervous just before I go on. I feel like I just have some stress about messing up or, I don't know, forgetting something, but once you're up there, it's all just having fun playing with other people. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>I love that, and that's definitely the philosophy. You can get nervous and put all the work in, but the cool thing about playing live is once it's done, it's done; you let it go, and whatever happened happened. To this day, I still get super nervous. It's not nervous, like I don't know how it's gonna go; it's more like there's the roller coaster feeling as you're climbing up the hill. I love that feeling. </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Yeah, it's super fun. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bfdb3e30d906be1219a4fd7de5a4ce980ba9a143/original/screen-shot-2021-09-12-at-4-31-21-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Student Concert" /></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Let’s move on. You got on stage, realized you liked playing with other people, and then came your own band. How did this band come about? Talk a little bit about the band and what that has meant to you. </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Yeah, so there are four of us in a band called TBD. We have been playing together for, I think, four years now. Three of us went to school together. We kinda scraped it together. We all played at school, we all knew we played instruments, and we had known each other for a while. We all kinda live in the same neighborhood. So at one family party, we started playing in our drummer's living room, just messing around, and then that just kinda became a permanent thing. We thought, let's just start a band. And one of my friends from outside of school that I had also known all my life, I asked him to join, and that was just super fun being able to see a band come from nothing to just pulling it together and learning a bunch of covers, even writing our own originals. It was just a super fun experience. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> That's awesome. So now you and Chase and Antonio went to school together, but you knew Nick from way before. How did you know Nick? </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Yeah, Nicky and I went way back. I think I've known Nicky since I was like three or four. His older brother and my older brother played baseball together as kids, so we just kinda grew up on the baseball field together, and we'd spend every single weekend together at tournaments, so he's definitely one of my closest, closest friends. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> And he just happened to play keyboards and sing and be the perfect addition to the band? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> He happens to be so talented. He's incredible. I was gifted. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> So now, you've got this band, where in the beginning, you were the only person singing. If you remember correctly, Nick didn't even want to sing at the beginning, and Chase absolutely refused. So you were the sole singer, but over time TBD became a band where everybody takes turns singing and sings three-part harmonies. Talk about that transition. </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Chris and I had to force the other boys into singing because they just weren't into it in the beginning. We made a rule that if you chose a song, you had to end up singing it, so all of the songs that you wanted to play in the band, you had to sing it. I think that was the first time that Chase got to a mic, the first time that Nicky got to a mic, and it ended up working out. And eventually, they decided, "You know what, we can do this, it's not that bad." And they're both very talented vocalists, so I don't know what was holding them back. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> You've done so many performances now, that you can see the growth. Chase was very nervous at first and then got more confident and stronger. You got stronger. Everybody did, and then I remember you brought in “Don't Stop Me Now” by Queen. I think that's when we really took harmonies to another level because they were so complicated. </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>We worked out three-part harmonies for that song, and that took forever. Those were the hardest harmonies that all of us collectively had done together. Before every show, before we would play that song, we'd sit on the side and just run those harmonies, and our drummer, Antonio, who doesn't sing, would just have to sit through it all. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah, but that's great. That's building the band camaraderie. That's so important. What I remember from that is that after that song, all the other harmonies that people were nervous about or not sure of were so easy. We started putting them on everything without thinking twice about it, and it never went back. From that point on, everybody sang on most songs. The band plays tons of covers and then moves into starting to write original music, and this happens around the time of the pandemic. How did that come together where everybody's kinda contributing in some way to these songs. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b0ada71c0a2cb17344c64b3993b62d45ff795c2e/original/screen-shot-2021-09-12-at-4-33-34-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><strong>L:</strong> Yeah, so right in the beginning of the pandemic... actually, before it started, Nick was writing his own originals that he would bring into the band and say, "Let's play this song that I wrote." And I think that was “Ready To Go.” It was our very first original that Nick had written, but we would add some things to it to make it a TBD original. And then as the pandemic hit, we continued to write originals and took that time away to really work on our songwriting, how we recorded. All of us were recording our own parts individually through our laptops into Logic, just sitting in our bedrooms. And I think that was super cool, 'cause that was... at least for me, that was the first time that I'd ever worked like that. And it was really cool to be able to see a song come from nothing to something all the way, just from us. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> During that period of time, you ended up being very, very productive, and you ended up with three or four original songs that were recorded, I think four music videos, a lot of things that you'll have forever. Now, let's go into the present. You are going into your junior year of high school. </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> I am. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> The band is changing a little bit. Nick graduated from high school and is in college now, and Austin's coming to the band, and the band is going to probably take on a new name and maybe a new direction. And in terms of seniority, the three of you who are still in the band are gonna carry this torch on. How do you feel about that? </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>I'm excited. I'm obviously bummed that Nicky's in college now. That was pretty sad. Brexit happened, but he doesn't need to know that I was sad about that. And then getting Austin into the band—Chase's little brother—that's a whole new dynamic. Austin and Chase together, they're just goofballs, and all of us feeding off of each other is just so much fun. It's such a fun dynamic, and I can't wait to keep working with all three of them and seeing the new direction that this new band takes. I think we're gonna get a new name because TBD was in the past now, so... </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>I like the idea that TBD will be its own thing, and this will be a new thing. So now for you, you're in your junior year, then you're gonna have one more year of high school, and I'm sure in your mind, you're already thinking of colleges and thinking of what you want to do next. What role do you think music is going to play in the next chapter of your life? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> I think it's always something that I'll have with me. I think playing with friends will obviously just be number one in my mind. I don't think it'll become a career of mine, but I think having music in my back pocket will always be a good thing, and I don't think I'll put it down or anything. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> So you think you'll always have that skill, just to play. </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Yes, I do. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I love that. You play guitar, you sing, you play some piano, your mom obviously has a background in music and huge background in performance, and you've translated this into some musical theater and acting and things like that. How do you think all of this artistic exposure, these experiences, have shaped you as a person? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> I don't know, I feel like it's been really good to keep me well-rounded, I guess. I feel like everyone should learn an instrument at some point in their life. It's something that not only has kept me busy, but has always just been good to have. It's always been good for parties or whenever people come over, play with friends, just something that's been very fun to have in my whole life. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> And in the dynamic of our SoundLife community and the shows that you've played for school, like The Palooza and things like that, TBD at one point were the younger kids, and there were older kids, and then TBD became the older kids, and now you are the oldest kids. </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> That make sense. That's something to think about. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>What is that like? Was it inspiring when you were younger than, let's say The Trips or some of the other older students were playing, was that inspiring, intimidating, did you like being a part of that? </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Yeah, I was just about to mention The Trips. They were the oldest at the time when we were just starting as TBD. They were the first three people who I played on stage with at all at SoundLife. And just being able to watch them play and thinking, "Oh man. I wanna sound like they do one day." Or like, "Oh, we're gonna be the oldest one day." That's just super good. It was super cool to just idolize them when we were just starting, and it's crazy to think how now we're the oldest. So hopefully, we can serve as some sort of something for the younger ones to look up to. [chuckle] </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> You guys already are. You already are and have been for quite some time. So now, the role of having someone like a Band Coach like myself or some of our other team members, has that helped the band, do you think that keeps the band productive? </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Yes, I think you know that rehearsals without you don't really go very well. Normally, on the days that you aren't there, we end up playing spike ball. But I feel like having you around has really helped us stay super productive. You always keep us on track. You know just what we need to be doing, and having you there is just stable. Band Master Chris, BMC. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I love that name, and whenever you guys all graduate, I am gonna miss that deeply. I think Antonio gave me a little statue years ago that says BMC from one of his trips to Mexico with his family, and that is right here on my desk, and I just love that. [laughter] </p>
<p>Alright, well, thank you for taking this time, Lucy. I can't wait to hear what TBD does next. It’s definitely going to be on a stage. We are back at our Zebulon in December. We are going to have live music again, and I don't know what that's gonna look like 'cause you guys have to pick all new songs. </p>
<p><strong>L:</strong> Great. Wow, oh my gosh. That's great. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>And you're going to be the headliner, so this should be quite interesting. Is there anything you want to add or share, any insight that might help a younger student or someone just starting? </p>
<p><strong>L: </strong>Just keep going. Even when you think this is the end of the world, I promise it's not. It always gets better.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8f2de28edf7b687f76a615f288952b3609cb46c1/original/screen-shot-2021-09-11-at-3-52-41-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Then and Now" /></p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67341702021-09-02T11:45:11-07:002021-09-13T10:50:49-07:00Student of the Month: Mikayla <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Mikayla on being selected as our <br>September Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ca1f5de9ed0ad3b9a752b2e9f1d427e71f357b49/original/mikayla.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Student" /></strong></p>
<p>Mikayla began her musical journey on January 22, 2019, but not as pictured. Her first instrument was the piano, on which she excelled even though she was very young at the time. During the pandemic, Mikayla decided to switch over to guitar, and we believe she's found her companion with this instrument! </p>
<p>Since switching to the guitar, Mikayla has grown tremendously as a budding musician. She participated in the Remote Performance portion of our most recent Virtual Showcase III, performing "If You're Happy and You Know It" alongside her brother and Mom. </p>
<p>Following her debut performance, Mikayla has learned her open position chords using the song "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles as a vehicle. She learned the entire song and can now play it in time with the music. </p>
<p>Mikayla's current project is learning to play the chord and melody for "Happy Birthday" for her Great-Grandmother's upcoming 100th year. Let's give a standing ovation for Mikayla and all of her hard work!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67330712021-09-02T10:24:52-07:002021-09-08T19:30:14-07:00Charlie Watts: The Rock That Never Rolled<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ad4c3eaf53853f97568a9449d8d62a1914a6cf1a/original/screen-shot-2021-09-01-at-9-54-56-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Charlie Watts" /></p>
<p>On August 24, 2021, the world lost a rock 'n’ roll legend, an icon, a <a contents="Rolling Stone" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rolling-stones-tour-dates-charlie-watts-1216735/" target="_blank">Rolling Stone</a>. The life of Charlie Watts is fascinating, at times sad, and of course, incredibly inspiring. But through it all, the most incredible truth is that this rock never rolled. Charlie Watts has appeared on every single album alongside Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, beginning with their debut self-titled in 1964, all the way through their most recent 2019 single “Living In A Ghost Town.” He joined the band in 1963 and remained active until his death. That is 58 years of service to culture, to fans, and to the book of rock 'n’ roll that will set aside volumes just for this band alone. </p>
<p>Watching social media flood with condolences, praise, and sentimental walks down memory lane, the most interesting remarks were about Charlie’s demeanor more so than his playing. Nearly every legendary rock star friend who took the time to pay tribute to the late drummer made mention of Charlie's character, how he carried himself. He was a gentleman and a scholar, always sharply dressed, stoic, and dependable in a role that must have been more chaotic than civilized.</p>
<p>Mr. Watts was as identifiable for his three-piece <a contents="Savile Row suits" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/25/style/the-uniform-cool-of-charlie-watts.html" target="_blank">Savile Row suits</a> as he was for drumming. Over his nearly 60-year career, Charlie never dressed like a traditional rock star. He leaned more toward Fred Astaire and the jazzmen that influenced him in his early years. Names like Duke Ellington, Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, and Miles Davis were synonymous with upscale suits, and this is clearly where Mr.Watts got his style. In this way, he was quietly rebelling against the very anti-establishment that The Rolling Stones stand for, but that is the magic. Ultimately, that made him even more rock and roll. </p>
<p>In the late 1950s, Charlie was employed both as a graphic designer and as a drummer, while the rest of what was to become The Rolling Stones were scraping to get by. Charlie Watts worked for an advertising company called Charlie Daniels Studios while also playing in R&B in the Jo Jones All-Stars. In 1961, while debating whether to take a short-term design gig in Denmark, Charlie was invited by Alexis Korner to join Blue Incorporated. From then until 1963, Charlie held both his job at Charlie Daniels Studios (then Charles, Hobson, and Grey) and his position in Blues Incorporated. Charlie even continued his love for design throughout his time with the Rolling Stones, designing album artwork and touring stages. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/358172cb28852e3cb2ccd8304dbcd23f09c489a6/original/screen-shot-2021-09-01-at-9-56-28-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Charlie Watts Drumming" /></p>
<p>By the time Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Brian Jones met Charlie, he was their idol. They wanted him in their band more than anything. Keith Richard even said in his 2010 autobiography, <em>We went shoplifting to get Charlie Watts</em>. To them, he was grown up, a success, and beyond them. Now, when we think of Charlie’s playing, we tend to think of simplicity; but at the time, Charlie was coming from the jazz and R&B world. He had plenty of chops, and you can hear some of that flash on the early Stones records. Charlie was also making a steady living in the arts, which is something none of the other band members could say. </p>
<p>As time went by, Charlie's style, along with the band, changed and became more groove-oriented and less flashy. He became the rock that the band needed, knowing full well that between the perfectionism of Mick Jagger and the pure bohemian that is Keith Richards, there needed to be an unshakeable consistent presence. This shows up on the records, on the stage, and in story after story from the years and years of Stone's folklore. Charlie could not be pushed around, nor stand to waste time.</p>
<p>One of the most famous stories is when Charlie Watts punched Mick Jagger square in the jaw for calling him “my drummer.” As the story goes, one night Mick was writing and recording during the making of “Exile On Main Street,” and he called up Charlie to come down and play. On this phone call, Mick was pushy and referred to Charlie as his drummer. Charlie got dressed in one of his nicest suits, got in the car, drove to the studio, walked right up to Mick, and punched him. Then he said, ``Remember, you're my singer.” There are of course many versions of this story, all subtly different, but no one questions that this happened. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ab6918f5c03cbf76f88ce242ba490b7b496098e0/original/screen-shot-2021-09-01-at-9-55-28-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="The Rolling Stones" /></p>
<p>In 2014, I was lucky enough to see The Rolling Stones live. Watching them was like having The Bible read to you by Moses. <a contents="Here we are teaching students to play their instruments" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">Here we are teaching students to play their instruments</a>, play on stage, work together in bands, etc. So much of what we teach was passed down orally from the early days of Blues, but brought to the forefront of popular culture through the British Invasion, of which The Rolling Stones played a massive part. Beyond the music, their live shows, style, and legendary stories have become the textbook for what we know as Rock 'n’ Roll. At times, we tend to relate rock 'n' roll to the idea of unpredictability, or “wildness.” This is, however, very much the opposite.</p>
<p>Great rock 'n' roll makes you dance, makes you physically move your body, and brings people of all cultures together. It is the culmination of blues, jazz, R&B, and soul music through a focused lens of the American and English experience. It can be wild, but it must first have a reliable foundation, a groove. Charlie Watts is a leader in solidifying and purveying this incredible genre. The Stones have spent a career honing and searching for the magic combination of ideas that make true, authentic rock 'n’ roll. They succeed to this day, and Charlie’s part in this process should never go unrecognized. Charlie’s heart may have beaten its final beat, but Charlie’s groove will move the masses for eternity.</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Article by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67133572021-08-23T19:15:36-07:002023-12-10T10:09:47-08:00Chat with Pros: Chris Wrate on Being the Ultimate Sideman (Kelsea Ballerini) <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/aa98f2c4102c648286ef2fa5b61e1c4de08fc74c/original/chris-wrate.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Chris Wrate | Kelsea Ballerini" /></p>
<p>Welcome to <em>Chat w/ Pros</em>, where we talk with working professionals in various areas of the music industry. Today we’re talking with Chris Wrate, a Nashville-based guitarist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and musical director currently working with country/pop sensation Kelsea Ballerini. Our Program Director, Chris, sat down for a chat with Mr. Wrate as he gets ready to head out on tour with Kelsea opening for the Jonas Brothers. </p>
<p>Chris got his start in Los Angeles on the audition circuit just after graduating from the Musician’s Institute. It was there that he met <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> co-founders, Chris Vazquez and Michael Torres, in the hallways of CenterStaging in Burbank. Chris is a phenomenal musician with a strong foundation in the blues, channeling players like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and John Mayer. He is also a strong singer with an incredible ear for hearing and blending harmonies...but that’s just the beginning. Over the years, Chris has kept busy as a musician by being a five-star human. He always comes prepared, champions those around him, and makes working with him easy for his fellow band members and the artists they support. </p>
<p>Mr. Wrate has worked with artists such as Colbie Callait, Ariana Grande, Lee DeWyze, David Foster, Charice, Daniel Powter, and many more. He has appeared on <em>Oprah, Ellen, American Idol, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live,</em> and <em>The Today Show</em>. Chris lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and their two children. </p>
<p>Today’s conversation is an honest talk between two peers who have endless respect for one another. Let’s jump in… </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yx9qtRsZ3GM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yx9qtRsZ3GM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yx9qtRsZ3GM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p><strong>Chris Vazquez:</strong> <strong>Alright, we're here with Chris Wrate today, music director for Kelsea Ballerini, awesome guitar player, long-time friend, and a Nashville native. Chris, thank you so much for joining us. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Chris Wrate:</strong> Pleasure to be here. </p>
<p><strong>CV: So Chris, you and I met in Los Angeles at an audition that I believe...I can't remember who it was for, but I know it was a Barry Squire audition at CenterStaging. </strong> </p>
<p><strong>CW: </strong>Yeah. </p>
<p><strong>CV: And we met in the hallway, just waiting to go in. Do you remember this or what we were doing? </strong> </p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> I was trying to...I was hoping you would say which artist it was, 'cause I was like, man, we did so many together that I'm like, which one was it? Now, I don't know if it was Selena Gomez, maybe? </p>
<p><strong>CV: It might have been. There were so many during that time and so...</strong><strong>Just to give people who are watching this a little bit of context, when you and I got out of college and were trying to become musicians and find a way to make a living doing this, at that time, Barry Squire was one of the guys, if not <em>the</em> guy, in terms of putting auditions together for artists. </strong><strong>You and I kind of got roped in around the same time, and we were at all of these auditions almost every week, sometimes multiple times a week, together. </strong><strong>And so during this time, we would see a lot of each other waiting in lines for hours and just became friends. [laughter] Just by talking and...</strong><strong>Then a stretch happened where you and I were like in the final callbacks fairly regularly, and...</strong><strong>that's just kinda how our friendship started. So if you want to enlighten everybody who's gonna watch this on your experience, I know you went to MI, but kind of walk us through getting in that door to the Barry Squire auditions. How did you get there? </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> I left Wisconsin to go to Musicians Institute in Hollywood, and during the brief time that I was in their two-year program, you quickly hear about Barry Squire, the guy you mentioned before. Like you said, he kind of was the guy if you wanted to get into auditions for, specifically, various touring acts that were putting together bands—whether it was an American Idol artist that had just come off the show or whatever have you—he was the guy that was holding those auditions, and he happens also to be a faculty member at MI. So I, at some point was like, it'd be smart to take his course that he's doing—I think it was called Audition Workshop—just about everything that he had learned and what he looks for and just kind of coaching people on how to make yourself presentable for opportunities, what people are looking for, and just a really cool inside view into what happens at those auditions and what clients are looking for.</p>
<p>I'll never forget, there was one class where he showed up 20, 30 minutes late. I think people had even started leaving 'cause they're just like, "This guy's not gonna show." Eventually walks in, he's like, "I'm so sorry, we have an audition. Actually a lot of times, I have my guys outside of the school that I call when I get calls to put together these auditions. And a lot of times, I like to bring them to the school, comb through and see if there's not anybody that would be a great fit for this as well." He's like, "So it's for The Offspring." And I remember hearing about it and thinking, <em>I don't think that I'm a good candidate for The Offspring.</em> But I was like, I just gotta get in front of this guy, and maybe it'll be a thing where it's like, "Hey, you're not meant for this, but I got another opportunity for you."</p>
<p>And so I quickly, after that class, I went to the hiring hall at the school where they kinda put together all the auditions and talked to the guy about it. Then long story short, well, I wound up going through a lot of the auditions. I think I went through three different auditions to the point where I got to play with The Offspring, which was a super crazy experience, 'cause I was a big fan of theirs as a kid growing up. And didn't get it. I think they specifically said that they didn't wanna tour with somebody that was their son's age. [laughter] So I think they went with somebody a bit older than me, but that's how I got in the door with Barry, and that's how I first met him and kind of got...Yeah, so it started with those first few auditions. Like you said, they were coming once or twice a week for a while there, and I think that's how we met. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Yeah. So while you were saying that, I did remember it was Jordan Pruitt. </strong><strong>And I remember when we met, I think you had just done The Offspring audition. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Okay. That sounds right. </p>
<p><strong>CV: So now we're at this point where...Doing auditions and getting through the callbacks. And just to paint a picture for everybody, at this time, auditions for the most part are either very, very small calls with just a handful of people, or the total opposite—cattle calls with hallways and lines full of people. And when you go through the process and you get the callback, it gets smaller and smaller and smaller. And t</strong><strong>he stakes get higher, so at this stage, mentally, we're at a place where we want this gig, 'cause we believe that this is gonna change our situation or whatever, and the very final stage of that, they're gonna choose somebody. But you've been hanging out with these people, talking to them all day, and you all know you want the same thing. [laughter] </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. </p>
<p><strong>CV: And you want them to do well, but you wanna do well, and so there's this kind of mental gymnastics that you go through because you wanna be supportive of everybody, but you also want this gig. So I'm gonna be vulnerably honest with you right now. For a lot of gigs, when you got them, I would go home and I would just be like, just devastated. And I felt for a long time like, "Oh my god, this guy! He's always there. And he just keeps getting these gigs!" And there were maybe, I don't know, a handful, and I don't remember specifically what, where I was like, "I'm getting this." And then you would show up and be like, "What's up, bro?" and I would be like, "Ugh!" [laughter] </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> That's hilarious. </p>
<p><strong>CV: And I remember then I had a choice, like a crossroads to go one way or the other, and to either be really, really supportive of everybody—but especially you, since you and I saw each other so much—or to be bitter about it. And I was like, "Well, one is gonna lead me down a road I don't think I really want, and the other one, I'm gonna feel better about myself. The people around me are gonna feel better about being around me, I'm gonna be a much better person to be around." And so I chose the other path and started deciding, "You know what, I'm gonna celebrate everything everybody does. You know what, if I lose the gig, I’ll still encourage them on the gig and continue to support them."And so what I found out over time, and I'm sure you would agree on this, is by doing that, you do two things: one, you're top of mind with someone because you're still in touch with them and you're still supporting them, following up, and you genuinely care about their success. But two, that results in other gigs. Gigs come out of that, more opportunities come out, it opens your doors up more because your circle is getting bigger and bigger instead of smaller and smaller. </strong></p>
<p><strong>So, kinda walk me through your side of that. You take the auditions with Barry, you start to land a few, and now you're starting to tour, you're starting to kinda build a reputation. What does that transition look like for you? And in terms of relationship building and bringing in people into your circle that you wanna continue to work with, how do you navigate that? What is that experience like for you? </strong> <strong> </strong> </p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Well, like you said, I think when you're doing the audition, there's a lot that I think goes into my head just when I'm doing the audition, but I get what you're saying. I think that there's a period of time where everybody that's in that hallway sitting with you, you're sizing up. You're like, "That dude's got good hair, this guy's got a cool guitar," or whatever, and you're kind of just playing this measuring game. But then you slowly realize that these are guys that based off the relationships that can quickly happen in those hallways, so much can come from that. And I always used to joke with people, saying like, "Hey, one of us is gonna get this gig, and one of us might need to sub something else out, so you might as well shake hands with these guys and be cool with them because you're probably more likely to get work from the relationships in the audition than you will from that actual audition." The odds that it works out, that the stars align and you get that actual gig, it is really hard. There's a lot that goes into it that you can't take too much heart into. I've lost gigs for so many different reasons that were just out of my control, you know. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Yeah. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> But yeah, I think eventually you grow to this place where you start championing your friends, because they do become friends. And I know we've talked about this, just before we hopped on the call, it's like, eventually you start seeing your friends...We all just wanna make it, and I think once we all get to that place of comfortability, you find your gig or a few situations that you're invested in, and you wind up finding longevity in a career. It's just fun to watch your friends succeed, and so, yeah, I think the process is just like, it's self-centered initially 'cause you're just like, "How do I do this, and how do I get this?"</p>
<p>But then you start to realize like, "We're all trying to attain the same thing," and you go through this maturity process of just loving on your friends and championing them, and again, so much can come from that...That's really, at the end of the day, is what's gonna probably happen, is somebody's gonna call you and be like, "Man, this guy was so cool, and we never actually got to do a gig together, but he was always there at the callback, so that shows me he's always doing his homework and paying attention, and he's clearly a good player, he's been a good hang." And those are people that you eventually bring on the road and surround yourself with. </p>
<p><strong>CV: There are so many awesome points right there. For us, through all of that, we ended up trading gigs for years. </strong><strong>And when you would get a gig that was maybe a further step forward, whatever you were doing that you couldn't keep that commitment anymore, a lot of times I would be able to step in for that, or someone in a similar scenario would be able to. And if I had something that I couldn't do, I could pass it back to you. And when these gigs end, 'cause they always end, at some point... [chuckle] </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Exactly. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Those relationships are what's gonna keep you working. And that's what I think, for our students, I wanna drive home. Opportunities come and go. Some are longer than others, some are bigger than others, but relationships have the ability to transcend all of that. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW: </strong>Yeah, 100%. </p>
<p><strong>CV: So moving forward, you were here in LA. We had been doing a lot of the <em>American Idol</em> auditions, and you ended up with Lee DeWyze, right? </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Correct, yeah. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Okay, so pivot from there to you had a number of other larger gigs, and then you moved to Nashville. So walk me through that period of time. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Yeah, so I guess that period between Lee and being in Nashville, I wanna say, pretty quickly after Lee, I wound up working with an artist named Daniel Powter. A lot of times that name doesn't ring a bell for people. I'll say the song "Bad Day," and if that doesn't ring a bell, then I say the song, "You Had a Bad Day," and they're like, "Oh yeah!" Somehow that always connects the dots for people. So he was pretty far removed, I wanna say six, seven, maybe even eight years removed from that single, but still very successful in other countries, and that's kind of a funny thing, I think, as you get working too. Your mind is so focused on playing for these artists you hear on the radio and people that have been on a show that you might know of, and Daniel is somebody that was honestly paying really well. He put us all on retainer. That band that he wound up hiring, it wound up being a really great situation for me for, I wanna say, a couple of years. </p>
<p>We primarily didn't really even work in America. It was mostly like just going to other countries where he still had a lot of success. And so you start to realize the measure of success isn't necessarily, again, the person that you're hearing on the radio or who's on your TV screen all the time. There's a lot of opportunity to work for artists that might be based in Los Angeles, but touring and working in other countries and whatnot. So I worked with him for a little while, was his musical director.</p>
<p>Then during that period of time while I was still working with him, got a call for Ariana Grande. This is always a funny story to tell. The guy who messaged me—didn't know who he was at the time—his name's Dan Kanter. He was Justin Bieber's musical director for many years. And he Facebook messaged me and said he had a gig for me, and at the time...I just thought I was getting spammed by some random guy basically, and so I ignored it. And his profile picture was him playing a toy guitar as a child, so it was also just like, I don't know who this guy is. And then he messaged me again and essentially was like, "You need to pick up the call. Don't ignore this." And I thumbed through his profile pictures, and then in like the second picture, it was him with Justin, and I was like, "Oh, I do need to pick up this phone." So we wound up talking, and he told me about Ariana. And I didn't know about Ariana at the time. He was basically saying she's a young Mariah Carey, and then it was more adding to the skepticism of a young Mariah Carey. I was just like, "I doubt that." But he wasn't wrong. Obviously, she was an amazing talent to work with. </p>
<p><strong>CV: She was not yet known. She hadn't really even been fully launched. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> She had just put out a single. She was mainly still kind of fulfilling her contract on Nickelodeon with the <em>Sam & Cat</em> show. She had just the one song on the radio, which I did hear, but was not even really paying attention to. I was on a summer tour with her, like a radio tour. Kind of like Jingle Balls in the winter where it's like Miley Cyrus, all these different pop artists maybe on the same bill playing quick 10-20 minute sets. And I didn't even realize that she was on that while I was playing with another artist, but she had just had the one song and she hadn't had a band yet. So basically my job was to come in, put a band together and do her first club tour, help her with radio promotions, and do various acoustic performances and stuff like that. </p>
<p>And then she stopped working for a while, she wasn't really using a band as much. Randomly I got a call for Colbie Caillat that was like, "Hey, in two days, can you come to this rehearsal space and audition through your rehearsals, basically, and if all goes well, you're gonna leave in a week for two months?" It's always how it works like that. So I wound up doing [the Colbie gig], and then while I was with Colbie, I remember being in a rehearsal space. My wife came and visited Nashville, and we had kind of joked about looking at houses out here and maybe changing locations simply just 'cause the housing market at the time was super affordable here. Not the case really anymore. But she wound up buying a house while I was on tour with Colbie, and we had to close on the house and do paperwork. I remember sending stuff overnight while I was on the road, at FedEx locations. So yeah, that was kind of the wild road all the way till we got to Nashville. </p>
<p><strong>CV: And when you got to Nashville, did you think, "I'm gonna stay here"? Or you just didn't know at the time? </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> That was never actually the plan. It was like, if I can try to work out here, I will. But I wasn't gonna kid myself that I could just show up and say, "Hey, I'm a guitarist from LA, and I'm here for your gigs." There's plenty of players. Any time people asked me why I was moving to Nashville, I'd always jokingly say that I heard there's a shortage of guitar players, 'cause clearly there never has been. </p>
<p>But yeah, I spent so much time, as we all did, accruing contacts and going to those auditions and meeting people in LA, that I knew the smart move was to simply just come here, get a house, and have leverage to kind of really get into a neighborhood in an area that if we got stuck in for five, six years down the road and had kids, that we wouldn't feel bad about it. So it quickly turned into, "Wow, I really like it here. I'd love to see if I can start working." I started to kind of network and meet some people. And fortunately, I did have a resume that I brought with me from LA, there just obviously [weren't] any country artists really on there. I'd always loved the idea of working in Nashville, but I just wasn't quite sure and obviously, quickly, it turned into something, which I'm super thankful for. But yeah, that was never the idea at first, I thought we'd be back in LA, in at least a couple of years. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Well, I thought you'd be back too. Then Kelsea Ballerini came along, it was like, "Oh, he's never coming back now." </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Exactly. [laughter] </p>
<p><strong>CV: Okay, so now when you're there, and one of the things you told me that I thought would be really interesting to share is that when we were doing auditions in LA, we were just playing guitar, and a lot of what we had to do was program sounds on these giant pedalboards that we were lugging around all over the place. Two suitcases large. </strong><strong>And we were doing a lot of tap dancing on our pedalboards to get everything that we wanted the way we wanted, but then you told me when you were in Nashville, you had to learn to play a lot of instruments you had not played before, right? And when you did the Kelsea audition, that was part of it, wasn't it? </strong> </p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Yeah, it's another story. Now I've been with Kelsea for over five years, so I feel a little more comfortable saying it now than I did a few years ago. I was a little more quiet about it, but, long story short with that, is when I got the audition, it was posed to me that there were some other auxiliary instruments that they wanted me to be able to play. And when I got the list of it, it was like any instrument that you could think that would find its way on a Nashville record, from a banjo to lap steel, Dobro, all these things. And I was like, "I don't touch any of that." And I told the guy right away, I was like, "I can't do this audition." I'm like, "I don't do any of those instruments." He's like, "It's mainly just...You need to play keys." And I was like, "Yeah, still don't play that." And he's like, "Oh, it's really simple, I promise. I think you're still really great..." He was really trying to convince me to do this audition. And he was like, "It's mainly just I need you on guitar and a few other things, it's just like if we can work it in..." Cool.</p>
<p>And so I eventually say yes to it, they send me the songs, one of the songs is a ballad on piano. [chuckle] And so I didn't even own a keyboard at the time, so I go on Craigslist, I find a cheap MIDI keyboard, and the guy had already sold it. He's like, "I got a guy coming tonight to pick it up for $250," and I think I told him I'd pay $300. And he texted back, "Money talks, come on over." And so I went and picked it up for like 300 bucks, I started learning the song on piano, and it was so bad. It actually got so bad to the point where I was so embarrassed to even attempt this in an audition that I drafted an email, started to write the manager, and as respectfully as I could, be like, "Hey, I'm sorry to do this last minute, but I just don't think that I'm the right guy and equipped for the audition. I'm mainly a guitar player." And I hit save on the email before I hit send, luckily. I went downstairs and talked to my wife about it, and I explained it to her. I was just like, it turns out I am terrible at the keyboards, and I shouldn't expect myself to just be able to learn a song in a day on a keyboard I just bought a few hours ago. </p>
<p>And she's like, "Why don't you just give it some time and go back up and attack it again with a fresh mind?" I took her wise advice, and I remember going back up, and all of a sudden it was like just clicking. It was really weird, it was like, I'm doing it, "This is happening." I thought, "Okay, maybe I can get by." I did the first audition, and in that audition, they asked me, "Oh, do you play the other Nashville Style instruments?" I said, "Yeah, I play mandolin." Didn't own mandolin when I said that, so go back on Craigslist, and I think I wound up buying a mandolin and learning that for the next audition and worked up something just passable to be able to get through. I just figured at some point it was kind of like back to what we were talking about is, if there's one thing I've learned from auditions, it's that you typically don't get the gig you're going out for, but you get something through it. And, being new in this town, I just didn't wanna say no to anything. I wanted to go and shake hands and just meet people, and I figured people would be like, "Heck of a guitar player, terrible mandolin player. Let's call him for something else, maybe." </p>
<p>I just figured there's a lot of guys in Nashville that when they say they're auxiliary players, they mean it, and they're really good at it. So I was like, "I'm gonna get found out as a fraud eventually, and then they'll call me out and I won't get the gig." I wound up getting the gig. I don't play the mandolin as much anymore, but I still do a ton of keys with her. It's kind of funny how it's become a position of mine now. A lot of it is juggling like, okay, I'm gonna start this song playing piano. In the choruses, I'll go to guitar just to kind of beef it up, and I'm singing as well, so it's a lot of juggling and, like you mentioned, tap dancing before with the pedalboards. It's a little bit of that like, remember here, you're over here playing this instrument, then you're doing this, don't forget to sing and do this and...Pat your head and rub your belly at the same time kind of stuff. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Yeah, that's what we do, and you're doing it on a whole other arena at this point. Now, do you think that bringing in some of those utility skills, those auxiliary skills, has helped you as a music director? Do you think that's a big advantage? </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW: </strong>Yeah, I think so. I am in tune with more and understanding more. I do a lot of work with playing samples and stuff like that and triggering that in our show as well, so...Yeah, I think the more that you're just invested into, the more you're able to, again, have that broader viewpoint of not just being in tune with what you're playing, but the other musicians on stage and what's happening within that arrangement. So yeah, I do feel like that has helped a little bit with that. </p>
<p><strong>CV: So you start out as a guitar player and end up as the music director for an artist who blows up. Can you define, what does music director mean to you? 'Cause that role has been tackled so differently by so many people. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> That's true. </p>
<p><strong>CV: When you're thinking about it, how do you perceive that role? </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> When I started, I got promoted to bandleader rather quickly, and it's a similar kind of circumstance with that. When people ask what a bandleader is, I never quite know how to describe that 'cause it's like a lot of things. You're a complaint box. You're the person that's kind of helping with the arrangements and deciding on what stuff's gonna happen with like: Should the bass player play with a pick? Should he play with his fingers? It could be as simple as that. With musical director stuff, it gets pretty heavy, especially with touring, 'cause you're thinking about so many things. The obvious things I think to point to with a musical director is you're coming up with a setlist, you're coming up with an arrangement...What's the best way? </p>
<p>Really, my main thing is always like...The same way a producer, I think, takes in a song when they're listening to a work tape, and it's like, okay, this song is just a vocal and an acoustic, but what is the best way to produce the song and give it its best energy? I think of a story I heard a long time ago where John Mayer was recording "Daughters," and he brought in, I think, three or four different amazing studio drummers to play on the song, and then they just started to realize, this song doesn't need drums. The best way.. The reason why it just doesn't feel right is, it's just...It's an acoustic song, let's just leave it at that. And I think about that all the time, and like...How we do arrangements and how we music direct, like, what is the best way to present the song? Is it: Do things change with a different guitar? Does it change with different tones and sounds, or dynamics, all that stuff? And then getting beyond the music stuff, a lot of work goes into, if we're creating Ableton sessions or whatever we're firing tracks off of. Coordinating that with our lighting directors and show designers, video content, lighting and all of that stuff, that's where those worlds kind of merge and we're making sure that we're sending time codes, which is kind of getting into an area where people might not know what I'm talking about anymore. Just stuff like that. </p>
<p>One of our last headline tours that we did, it was really cool. We worked with a whole new team that I've never worked with before, and they had a lot of really cool creative ideas, and a lot of it was like, "Hey, we wanna do these really big hits with either the lights or maybe it's pyrotechnics or something like that." And so sometimes usually you're creating the music, and they're then designing lights and the movement of the show based off of the music, 'cause that's typically what comes first. But they oftentimes would also say, "Hey, we have these ideas, what if you added hits here with what we're doing, 'cause this is what we're seeing from our vantage point while you're on stage," which is... I've always said it's the hardest thing about being a musical director inside of a band is trying to be attentive and in tune with what's happening because you are immersed in your playing inside of the band. Anyway, yeah, dude, it's a lot, it's hard to really summarize all that a musical director does, but there's everything from the music to the technical side of stuff. It involves a lot, but it's fun. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Yeah, I like that you...You can handle all of that, 'cause it can be as simple as what you said, just telling people, "Okay, let's use a pick on this, let's use fingers on this, let's make this pretty, or let's change this dirty. Let's segue from this song to that song. These songs are in the same key, let's put them next to each other. These tempos go well to another." But then there's that other level that you just hit on, which is the technical level, which in today's stage of the game is so massive. When you're touring, especially everything in sync with a track, which is in sync with lights, which is in sync with video, that's...That's another ball game. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Totally. Totally. </p>
<p><strong>CV: I wanna give students too, just the insight of like, it's a deep, deep, deep world, and learning to play an instrument is just the beginning. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW: </strong>Tip of the iceberg. </p>
<p><strong>CV: So, last thing I wanted to touch on is, you have a very beautiful and awesome family. You and I have both been able to do the family thing and still do the music thing, which to some people is very much like a Rubik's cube. “How did you crack this code?" It can be done. There's lots of different angles and ways to approach it. Something that I share with our parents in the school and our students, I like to say life isn't linear. There are lots of different paths happening at a given time, so if you're working on your career and your trajectory, you can still also be working on trying to find a partner and getting married and buying a home and doing these other things. So that when something in your career is maybe not going the way you want, that's okay. You have all these other things you're working on. And trying to tell students too, it's about balance, and as time goes by, these things start to come together and mature, sometimes all at the same time. You're like, "Oh my God, I have kids and I have all these other things in my life." So I talk about that. You are different in the sense that for me, I do a lot of spot dates or fly dates, but mostly I'm running this music school. You, on the other hand, are on the road a good bit. How do you balance the family life with everything else that you do? </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Yeah, I mean, my wife always just says this, “You just make it work.” It sounds like such a simple answer that's very open-ended, but my wife travels for work too. She's an accountant for film. So, we always say typically we live two places at once. It's wherever she's set up on location where that film happens to be shooting. It's been everywhere from three hours down the road in Atlanta to London, which is a 10-hour flight. Our thing is, a lot of people come up to us and ask us, "Who's gonna stop working first? Somebody has to stay home and kinda be the anchor for the children and stuff like that." And it almost gets a little frustrating when you hear that, 'cause it just assumes like, "You guys can't do this, you can’t possibly keep this up."</p>
<p>My thing is, I wanna raise kids in an environment where they can see a family chasing after goals and aspirations all throughout their life. And nobody conceding to one another that, "Hey, in order for you to do this, I'm just gonna have to take a back seat. Give up on my thing and support you.” Sometimes that's how it works out, and I absolutely respect the families that have done that. Some families have a stay-at-home mom or stay-at-home dad or certain people doing something where they are anchoring at home a little bit more. Sometimes it is necessary, but for us, we just wanna grow up championing our kids to know that just 'cause you're the mom or I grow up to be a mom, doesn't mean that you can't go and do what you wanna do.</p>
<p>Again, it's hard to say, but we just always sit down together and just make it work. It gets super hectic at times when we're doing a tour where it's about two or three months or something like that straight, and it's just like, man, there's only a day or two that you can put together to find time off. You get a little frustrated, and you're just like, "When am I gonna see my kids, when am I gonna see my family?” But you make it work.</p>
<p>It's absolutely worth the time and investment into it, because I know that if I wasn't doing what I'm doing and I gave up on my career—or similar for my wife, if she gave up on hers, that we would be harboring that kind of negativity. I think it just makes us stronger people when we are present at home, and when we come back, we're ready to be parents and ready to be a husband, ready to be a wife. And I just think it builds into that dynamic, and it makes us that much stronger and ready again to give into our family for the times that we are home and present for that, so...Yeah, there's no exact formula, like you said. It's not just one exact path. It's different for every family and situation, but if you want it, you just do it, and you just got to trust in the person that you're with, that you're gonna make it work and make time for everybody and make time for your career. I think it winds up being great at the end of the day. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Yeah, I love that you just said all of that. There's only one way to instill passion, and that's to live passionately. And that will rub off and plant good seeds, and it seems like you guys have done that for so long, you've got it down. I love that. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Thanks. </p>
<p><strong>CV: So just to bring it all in, at the end here, I wanted to say that when you and I first met, like I was saying in the beginning of our little chat, there was jealousy. It was competitiveness, it was frustration, and I don't know if you ever felt any of that coming from me, but I had that internally. </strong> </p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> I didn't, you did a good job hiding it. [laughter] </p>
<p><strong>CV: Thank you, I worked on that. Mental health is such a huge thing and something that everybody's talking about all of the time, and that was a huge period of time where I was trying to learn more about myself to navigate some of those emotions and not let them get the better of me and make something out of it. And now, looking back, I gotta tell you, I am very happy that was a process that I went through because otherwise, I would have missed out on our friendship. I would have missed out on the example that you have played in my life over these years, 'cause I'm gonna tell you that you are a role model of mine. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> I appreciate that, thank you. </p>
<p><strong>CV: I do oftentimes use you as an example to motivate me or think about things in terms of the dynamics between people or how people should treat people and all of those things. I’m so very grateful for that friendship over the years. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Same here, man, I appreciate that. </p>
<p><strong>CV: Thank you so much. I'm gonna turn the recording off so you and I can chat for a minute more, but thank you so much, Chris, for taking the time. </strong></p>
<p><strong>CW:</strong> Absolutely, it's great to be here.</p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Connect with Chris to follow his continued musical journey!</p>
<p><a contents="Website&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.chriswrate.com" style="" target="_blank">Website</a> </p>
<p><a contents="Instagram&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/chriswrate/" style="" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </p>
<p><a contents="Veritas Guitars" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://veritasguitars.com/artists" style="" target="_blank">Veritas Guitars</a></p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of <a contents="SoundLife Music Academy" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">SoundLife Music Academy</a> and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67027302021-07-30T16:13:01-07:002022-05-10T10:56:49-07:00Student of the Month: Nick<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Nick on being selected as our <br>August Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/040ed0b9bd5c14bb334d66576d4c1a74ef3c928f/original/showcases-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This month we are celebrating the hard work of Nick Palmer. Nick started with SoundLife in 2016 as a member of the band TBD. Since that time, TBD has participated in every SoundLife Showcase between 2016 and 2021, along with numerous other performances, including headlining shows at Lucky Strike and Rain. </p>
<p>In early 2018, Nick began to contribute original music to the band's repertoire, including fan favorites such as "Junk" and "Ready To Go." Throughout this time Nick was also writing music for himself in GarageBand. Every now and then he would show the music to his bandmates, only releasing the songs he felt were really strong. Then, in 2020, Nick kicked his writing into overdrive and began taking his songs to next level by getting them fully mixed and mastered. Along with his bandmate Antonio Marroquin, Nick also produced two exceptional music videos for his songs "Feel Something" and "Crickets," as well as TBD's song "Junk." </p>
<p>Nick will be leaving for college this month to attend Fordham University in New York City, and while we're sad that we won't be seeing him in our SoundLife shows or coaching him in TBD every week, we're so excited for what the future has in store. Follow Nick's adventures on Instagram <a contents="@nickpalmer55" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.instagram.com/nickpalmer55" target="_blank">@nickpalmer55</a>. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/67008342021-07-30T15:56:02-07:002022-05-08T23:27:24-07:00Learning to Fly<p>“I’m flying, I’m flying, Daddy. Watch me. I’m flying,” says Zoe. </p>
<p>“Me. Me. Me. Watch me, Daddy. I’m flying,” echoes Stella. </p>
<p>As they run from the back door to the front, around the couch in the living room, and across to the kitchen, their laughter is infectious. It was Disney's 1953 classic <em>Peter Pan,</em> based on James Barrie's play, that inspired them to take flight. The idea that they can fly and that all they need are happy thoughts is the simplest, but most profound concept. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fd916ee88e66535889b47cee951d614b4dbc41d7/original/screen-shot-2021-07-28-at-5-44-24-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Peter Pan" /></p>
<p>Before the girls were born, I hadn’t seen the original animated <em>Peter Pan</em> since my own childhood. I had forgotten everything but the colors and a general understanding of the plot. The songs, the subtleties, the dated <a contents="stereotyping" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-plus-racism-stereotypes-warning-peter-pan-dumbo-aladdin-2020-10" target="_blank">stereotyping</a>, and the magic of it all were long gone. Then one day, Disney Plus came along, and the girls selected <em>Peter Pan</em> out of hundreds of other titles based solely on the image of Peter on the screen. He’s a boy. He’s flying. That’s all it took. </p>
<p>Fast forward six months, and we’ve watched this movie together more times than I could possibly count. For them, it never gets old. And every time after watching it, they have to go for a flying session. If you were to ask Zoe or Stella if they could fly, they would confidently tell you, “Yes.” Almost to say, <em>of course, can’t you</em>? Then they would show you how they fly, and if you followed their lead and bought in, you too would be flying right along with them. </p>
<p>This is the trick. The most important part of the flying lesson. <a contents="You must buy in." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://childraisingtips.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/children-can-fly-a-childs-imagination-or-truth/" target="_blank">You must buy in.</a> You must believe you are flying. You see, they believe they “are” flying, and no one has told them otherwise. They believe that running around inside or out, with their arms stretched out, is all you need. The fact that they aren’t weightless or soaring into the sky is of no consequence to them. Those traits are only associated with the literal definition of flying. The flying that Zoe and Stella teach is far more difficult and powerful than anything a bird, a plane, or Superman does. </p>
<p>What Zoe and Stella excel at is what we all lose far too early in life. We lose our belief in the impossible. We lose our powerful imaginative play. We lose our ability to find pure joy in the simplest of things. As we get older, finding our way back becomes harder and harder. </p>
<p>In <a contents="learning to play an instrument" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">learning to play an instrument</a> and take the stage, we are learning to fly. By this, I mean that we are relearning how to do what children instinctively know. The goal of practicing technical information, learning songs, chords, and theory is to reach a place where you can be free on your instrument. Free as a bird, soaring through the sky. The goal of playing show after show and taking auditions is also the same. All of the repetition, precise execution, shapes, forms, and terminology are intended to get a student to a place where they can express themselves fully on their instrument. This means no second-guessing, no uncertainty, and most importantly, no fear. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/50f591a2bf39e78b6349642cb3051eb28ed1e1be/original/screen-shot-2021-07-28-at-5-50-25-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Part of this work is shedding doubt and trading it in for belief, trading realism for the surreal, and buying into the child-like state of “flying.” If you were to go see Paul McCartney or the Rolling Stones live in concert—true iconic legends—you would witness 80-year-olds acting like 5-year-olds in front of 100,000 people who paid upwards of $300 apiece to witness their mastery of flight. Is it a coincidence that Paul's post-Beatles band was called Wings? On stage, musicians get to suspend reality. If you say you’re flying, no one can tell you otherwise. And if you buy in, your audience will buy in; and if they buy in, the world becomes a simpler, more joyful place. You see, people who play music and people who go to see live music are participating in magic together. They are creating, sharing, and sending out the kind of energy that transcends the material world. </p>
<p>The movie <em>Peter Pan</em> opens with the song “You Can Fly” written by Cahn and Fain Sammy. The lyrics are woven into the movie’s dialogue as Peter tries to teach Wendy and her brothers how to fly. He tells them that all they need is any happy little thought, trust, and faith. Then “You can fly. You can fly. You can fly.” For a three-year-old, that is all it takes. Let’s let Zoe and Stella be our teachers. Let’s remember how to fly. </p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of SoundLife. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66763412021-07-01T12:32:01-07:002021-07-05T18:26:08-07:00Student of the Month: Riley<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Riley on being selected as our <br>July Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/00ecc778b86341a16b2d403ea7df7059e3c61bad/original/screen-shot-2021-07-01-at-12-16-41-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>This month we are celebrating the hard work of Riley Golden! Eight-year-old Riley is a voice student who has been studying privately with our instructor Anna since February of 2021. </p>
<p>From the very beginning, Riley jumped right into our immersive community and committed to participating in our June Virtual Showcase. He had only been taking lessons for just over a month at that time! In our team meetings, Riley's teacher Anna would regularly talk about Riley's focus and work ethic, championing his progress. Both he and his family watched our previous Virtual Showcases and knew exactly what to do when it came time for Riley's music video. </p>
<p>On June 12, Riley made his concert debut performing "Hey Soul Sister" by Train on the rooftops and in the streets of Los Angeles (you can <a contents="watch his performance here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=2654" target="_blank">watch his performance here</a>). His video is one our favorites, and we're so excited for the journey Riley is on! Following the show, Riley joined in our live Zoom to meet a few of our longtime students, who all immediately complimented his music video and praised his courage at such a young age. </p>
<p>Congratulations, Riley! We honor your hard work and can't wait to see where music takes you next.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="HKSi6hFOVHs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/HKSi6hFOVHs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HKSi6hFOVHs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66754882021-07-01T11:39:51-07:002021-11-03T07:08:09-07:00Overcoming Fear with Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/1d70d458b57c2b16e13b2fb2ad2da15156386fe5/original/live-11.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Massive Audience " /></p>
<p>We are a <a contents="community" data-link-label="Student Mentorship" data-link-type="page" href="/student-mentorship" target="_blank">community</a> built to empower one another, lift each other up, and share our power with the world. At the core, that’s what learning to play an instrument is really all about. How many of you started learning to play to get some of this power? Don’t be afraid to raise your hand right where you are! No matter your age, skill level, or personal reasons why you<em> believe</em> you started to learn how to play — at the core, you were after empowerment. You wanted to turn the “I can’t” into “I can.” Even if you were very young and you just wanted to emulate your favorite artist, that artist represents the power I’m talking about. This is the power over fear. </p>
<h4><strong>A Walk Down Memory Lane</strong></h4>
<p>Let me set the stage. I’m 12 years old in 7th grade, and I’m about to sing with my band in front of my whole school for their annual talent show. The fact that I’ve only been playing the guitar for a year doesn’t phase me. Neither does the fact that I’ve never sung a song in front of people. My band consists of a drummer and a bassist who also are equally unphased by their lack of experience. Ignorance truly is bliss. We’re about to play our new (and only) song, an original I wrote called “Drowning In Tears.” Our name is Dark Summer. The year is 1997. Sad was cool. </p>
<p>My masterpiece has no form or structure. Therefore, no real melody can exist. My amplifier has no effects, not that I even know what those even are. My voice is changing, but I have no idea how to sing anyway, so what does it matter? </p>
<p>Now... How do you think this played out? </p>
<p>Truthfully, I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and it didn’t matter. For the rest of middle school, I was ridiculed, bullied, and harassed. I would walk the hallways of the school and have kids taunt me: “Are you drowning in tears?” I wish I could say it was just “kids being kids,” but it was teachers and parents as well. One of my closest friends’ father would taunt me with those same words till I was well into my 20s. I’m sure no one meant any real harm, but the whole experience had a profound effect on me. Thought I was in many successful bands over the years, I did not attempt to sing and share a song of my own again until I was 36. </p>
<h4><strong>Facing the Music</strong></h4>
<p>In response to the whole experience, I dove deeper into my instrument and decided that I should indeed seek to know what I did not know. My passion for learning the guitar deepened year after year, and with every bit of progress, I gained more confidence. The stage became like a second home to me, and with the instrument on my shoulders, I felt no fear. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, there was a monster that was growing, and I wasn’t doing anything to face it. As time went by, without even realizing it, I developed a fear of singing. That fear was a tiny baby when I was 12, but by the time I moved to Los Angeles to pursue music full-time, it was a full-blown monster terrorizing the city. Godzilla was loose. If a gig required me to sing, or even suggested that I might be asked, I shied away from it. Who knows how many opportunities I walked away from? Each time I would tell myself it wasn’t because I was afraid to sing; it was because I was a guitarist, and my strength was performance, so I didn’t want to be tied down to a microphone. Can you imagine? </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c5e468cafbe007991622f80b20d49a78a791a9d1/original/screen-shot-2021-07-01-at-11-06-38-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><strong>Taking the Monster Down</strong></h4>
<p>Then, one day, something changed. Enough was enough. I had to take this monster down. It was in the way, and it needed to go. I started small by making a book of holiday songs and classics to sing at family parties. Then I took a job with a weekend warrior cover band that only played far outside of Los Angeles. I offered to sing all the harmonies, and week after a week, my confidence grew. Then I started taking higher-profile gigs, offering to sing whenever asked. At our wedding I surprised my wife by singing "In My Life" by The Beatles to her just before saying my vowels. This was a huge step forwards since so many of our friends and family are musicians. To get through it I enlisted all of my groomsmen and my grooms woman to help by singing all of the harmonies. Once my wife became pregnant with our girls, I just couldn’t imagine being afraid to sing for them, so I turned up the heat and started learning every nursery rhyme I could. Once they were born, I sang for them every night.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/39272e7d46154bc6e7474faa62fe177dd89e0af7/original/screen-shot-2021-07-05-at-7-18-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>At a certain point, I decided I was ready to put the fear behind me and started writing and recording my own music. In September, <strong><em>I’m going to release an EP of all original music, with me singing</em></strong>, to finally put the beast to rest. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-8SVaRW5dFI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/-8SVaRW5dFI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-8SVaRW5dFI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>I relay this story because I know there are so many out there that can relate. Over the years I have worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of students, With each, I am determined to find and defeat their fear. Learning to play comes second to this goal. Fear will prevent them from feeling the power they are truly after. As a result of this approach, I get to see students do things that I could never do at their age. Together, we get to write a unique story where they are the hero, anything is possible, and nothing stands in their way. This approach starts and ends with encouragement. What happened to me as a kid happens all the time. We look to adults and peers for support. Often without realizing it, they push their own fears and insecurities on us, and we carry them for the rest of our lives. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/55e79fcd7bffdbec1ed4b48470b947cc1f119662/original/screen-shot-2021-07-01-at-11-10-14-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Ralph Waldo Emerson" /></p>
<p>In <a contents="learning to play an instrument" data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons" target="_blank">learning to play an instrument</a>, there is power in gaining a skill, but the skill is not required to gain the power. Often when we first start learning, we don’t have the skills to sing in tune, or play completely in time, or get the exact sounds from the songs we’re learning. How could we? We’re just beginning. But we do have confidence and belief in ourselves, and that is both powerful and fragile. Whenever we have a <a contents="SoundLife student performing" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">SoundLife student performing</a> for the first time, we shower them with praise. We champion their courage. We don’t focus on what they lack; we focus on what they have and teach them how to build on it. </p>
<p>Music, like anything else, can be healthy or destructive. It’s up to us, the community at large, to determine how it’s all going to play out. If you are learning to play and there’s something you want, but you're afraid to go for it, let’s face it together (teachers, parents, family, friends, and peers.) Let’s write a song, sing a song, get on stage, form a band, go on tour, take over the world. Okay, maybe I’m getting a little carried away, but whatever it is, let’s do it. After all, as Emerson once said, “What we fear most is usually what we most need to do.”</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez / CoFounder" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">SoundLife</a>. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66594272021-06-21T13:09:08-07:002021-06-22T11:54:43-07:00Then & Now Ep.1: Natalie Bernstein<p>Welcome to Ep.1 one of our new series "Then & Now: Student Stories." Today we're talking with SoundLife student and singer/songwriter Natalie Bernstein. Natalie has been taking lessons, playing in bands, and performing on stage since she was eight. She is one of SoundLife's very first students, and her progression and ultimate transformation into the artist and songwriter she is today is the kind of story that inspires students and teachers equally. Now, at 15 years old, Natalie has come into her own. She has blossomed as a guitarist, songwriter, singer, and storyteller. </p>
<p>For those students who struggle with seeing the results of their hard work, Natalie stands as testament to what is possible with tenacity, trust, and a great work ethic. On the other side of the struggle is a place where music is infinitely fun and empowering. To see that confidence in action, watch her performances from our most recent concert <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HKSi6hFOVHs?t=6679" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>Watch our interview as Natalie shares the empowering role that music has played in her life over the years and the experiences that helped her find and develop her creative voice. </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="7JTePLUeorw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/7JTePLUeorw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7JTePLUeorw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Read the transcript...</strong></p>
<p>--</p>
<p><strong>Chris Vazquez:</strong> Alright, today we are here with Natalie Bernstein. We're kicking off a brand new series called "Then and Now." Natalie has been a student with <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> for eight years. She started, before the company even started, with me in 2013. We started SoundLife in 2014, and she is very much a part of what inspired us to put this entire operation together and has been through so many different parts of our program and has grown so much, we thought she would be a perfect person to start this series out. So, Natalie, would you please introduce yourself and talk a little bit about how you got into music? </p>
<p><strong>Natalie Bernstein:</strong> Hi, I'm Natalie. I am 15 years old. I've been doing SoundLife since I was seven years old, so I've been doing it for more than half of my life. I started... at Marlborough Summer School, doing lessons with Chris, and then had a great time. I was doing some One Direction, the usual seven-year-old stuff. So I continued from there, taking lessons with Chris and then got my whole family involved. My brother and my sister were all doing lessons, and I remember during our lessons, I would be singing along with the One Direction, and so Chris one time was like, "Hey, do you wanna maybe try singing with the guitar?" And so I then did singing and guitar as a little combination. And since then, I've done a lot more. I've worked with my siblings, done duets, I've been in a band, and now I am doing more solo work and incorporating songwriting, which is sort of the new, exciting thing that I'm up to right now. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yes, so you have done every different type of performance, and obviously, we're a performance-oriented program. So talk about what it was like when you were seven, eight years old and you had your very first performance. </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Oh my God, okay. I was so, so nervous. Yeah, these things have— I've definitely grown a lot more used to them, and so they've gotten— I've actually gotten to the point where I'm able to enjoy these performances. But I remember in the beginning, this was the first performance experience I've ever had, and so I was super, super nervous going into it, and as I've done— I've done many performances now, as many as SoundLife has done as a company, and so honestly, this has allowed me to get... Start enjoying my performances. And now I do theater. I do the SoundLife performances. I've grown to the point where I'm able to enjoy the performances. I enjoy having the audience. They're just so much fun to have with it, and so I do thank SoundLife for that, for letting me have fun on the stage. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. And that's the goal. And so, from that first performance up until most recently, you participated in our live video recording where you're performing your own original music live on stage. What does that trajectory look like from the very beginning and to now? What have you learned about performing, and what has made it more fun? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Honestly, you just know it — and Chris still has to remind me of this today — but knowing that these performances, they're live. They don't have to be perfect. You're not trying to aim for perfect. You're just showing your body of work. Like art is just— with my songwriting, I'm just capturing these moments and putting them in a fun way and packaging them. So I enjoy showing these moments to other people. And so it's not supposed to be perfect. I think letting go of the need for these performances to be perfect. It is a huge thing that's helped me, so I just— I'm like, I don't need to be perfect, I'm just showing this work that I'm super proud of, and... It helped me a lot with— because in the beginning, there's definitely this like, I need to be perfect, I need to show these songs exactly how I want them to be. And now I'm just like, "Have a good time." Let the audience enjoy it, and let yourself enjoy it, of course. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/447d1341b772fa72d0272ee0e7f1852f7f34ae28/original/natalie-4.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah. Absolutely. And now, one thing is that your work ethic is exceptional. How much of that work ethic has helped you get to a place where you can have fun like you're saying. How much of it is experience versus knowing how to prepare for you? So that you can have fun. </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Working at it is a huge thing. I've gotten— I'm not at the part where I'm like, "Practice for 10 minutes every day. Like do this, do this." And you know when you're younger, I needed to have that. I needed to have my father, my nanny, telling me, you know, practice right now so that you can get used to it because, you know, you sorta need that extra motivation since you're like, "Why am I practicing?" And I think as I've grown older, I've been able to attach from meaning... At this point, I'm back there [in] the guest room... for hours everyday. I just got in summer vacation, and it's what I've been doing the entire day. A huge part of it's just getting to a place where I enjoy the work. So it's not that I need to have such an amazing work ethic. It's more that I want to be putting my time into this. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I'm so glad you said that. Because when we're learning anything, whether we're singing or playing an instrument, there's like this hump we have to get over. Or, in the beginning, there are fun aspects to it, but overall it's work because you haven't gotten to that point in your technical ability, to be free with it. </p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>No, I mean I would have to go... the lessons... we have this book that I had to go through, and I had to know all the notes on the strings, and I had to memorize all the chords, and there's a lot of that work, but now it's just... It's second nature to me, and so that's a huge, it's a huge help. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Now from my point of view as your teacher, I would say that that hump that you've now gotten over, came fairly recently. When would you say you started to feel that music was something you just did for fun and wasn't so much of something that was a responsibility? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Like we said, there's always been fun aspects to it. But, I've been super, super motivated since mainly honestly over 2021. I think that since, I would say, November of 2020. But really, since January, I have been working hours and hours every week. And it's, like, what I most look forward to. And now when I'm able to sit down and I go there, honestly, probably every night at this point and during the afternoons when I can when I'm able to put aside some time from my work. And it's often a little frustrating, because I'll be there for hours and I won't get a good song. And it's like, oh my God, I just, I want it. I want so bad. But when I finally get a good song, maybe once a week, once every other week, I'm like, "Oh my God, this is it. This is it." It's like the best moment. And so I do have to go back there for many hours, not having anything good coming out of it. But then I'll go there one day, and I'll get an amazing song, like, oh my god, those hours of just being here fiddling around with things, that was so worth it. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/52c0569505a930c717fb04018f26217d209314e2/original/natalie-showcase-3.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> And over the years, you embrace different things that were uncomfortable for you obviously, at my request, but you put yourself in a situation to play music with individuals you'd never met, to play music on stage with teachers and with other kids your age and different ages, to play different styles of music. There were lots of things that were uncharted water for you, unexperienced things. How much of that helped you kind of find your own place? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Yeah, so I definitely think in the beginning, when I first started doing it, I think I started doing it as a duet with my sister. I used her sort of as a crutch, like, I wanna have someone else on stage because I didn't feel confident in myself doing it up there. But, when you start performing with people who are years older than you, when I was performing with high schoolers and I was in elementary school... that's a little different. That's super nerve wracking. Going through every rehearsal, I'd always be like, "Oh my God, they're so old." Like, "I'm super intimidated. I wanna be like them. But look at me. I'm just way too young." Yeah, it was definitely very nerve-wracking, having to do that. So it definitely got me out of my comfort zone. </p>
<p>But no, it definitely helped me just be comfortable with also trying new music. In the band that I ended up being in called Pepper and Salt, everyone has had sort of different interests in the music they wanted to be performing. And so I had to step out of my comfort zone in that and I was doing like, No Doubt... and I'm typically all, you know, pop-like. I would do One Direction and Taylor Swift. And so when I was doing these songs, I was like, "This is new for me. And this is a different type of song. And I have to appreciate for all of its different aspects." </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> That's fantastic and incredible insight. And so now, through all of that, you've got to a place where you've discovered that you're a writer, and your guitar is the accompaniment for your songs. And it's kind of the vehicle that help you bring these songs, these stories to life. I know you've had one very big influence in Taylor Swift, but what kind of helped turn that on and unlock those gates? </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8ca7601dcc3dcf28f0c7d27583babdb943f638f6/original/natalie-2.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Honestly, just over being... There's so many things I couldn't, but some general things, just having, over the past year, over ninth grade, especially, I've gotten more in tune with my emotional state. And that sounds very deep and like hippie, I know... I do theater, and I've been getting really into that. I am studying biology, which I know sounds weird, but it helps me. I've gotten this huge interest in my body and all the different nerves and my feelings, and so it sounds very heavy. I know it sounds like all yoga teacher and everything. But just having this connection. And then, I have all these feelings and it's like, "What do I do with them? Great, I feel these things, what do I do?" And so having a way to channel them out there, to put them out there, get them into this body of work and be able to evoke those same feelings in other people, those same feelings of happiness... of all this excitement. I can share them with other people through this is bridge of a song. If that makes sense? To song bridges it. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. And now over the years when you first started, you were very, very young — seven, eight years old. And then as we started to grow as a company, you started to meet more players that were older than you. How much of an influence were they on you trying to improve? How did they inspire you? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> No, they completely, completely inspired me. I mean, just being able to see where I could go with this, that it wasn't just like, "I'm at my best spot right now. I know all the strings, I know all the notes, like I am done." But especially the whole performance aspect, because I'd always see them at these SoundLife shows. And I'd be like, "What the heck, like, this is insane. This is crazy." And I was like, "One day, if I can work to be that, I can work to do that." And so just knowing, and they always look so comfortable. And I don't know if they were faking that, but they always looked like they just, they were having a good time. And they...just had all this power. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I think that's the circle though. It's the amount of experience, and now, you're in a place where you're the mentor. Now you are at a place where you get that back. And so, I love the whole idea is the circle that we start out and we have mentors, we gain lots of experience. We try lots of different things. We see what sticks, what fits, what's inspiring us. We find our place in music, we develop the craft, and then we get to give it back. And so now that's part of this series of <em>Then & Now</em>. If you were looking back, what would you tell a student who's seven or eight years old, just starting our program or a program like ours — it doesn't have to be our program — to help them stay focused and get over that hump so that they can get to a place where they enjoy music? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Oh my God, that's difficult. There's just so much that's gone into it, and I think just trusting, and as a cliche with trusting the process that it is, it's going to have its ups and downs. Some concerts I just really did not wanna go, I was like, "I'm not... I don't wanna go to this, it's super scary. I just don't wanna... " I was not in a place where I wanted to do it. And just also having someone to push you through those moments — whether that's your instructor, whether that's a parent or a sibling — having someone who's like, "Just do it, just go to the concert and give it your best because some of the best experiences can come from that." So I think you just really need to push yourself through those kinds of things. And then also — because I used to be super scared to share stuff with you — building a comfortable relationship with your instructor is super huge, just being able to put things out there and being like, "Hey, I created this and I know, I'm super scared to talk to you, but I'm just gonna show it to you anyway." </p>
<p>Because Chris has always been accepting of everything I've done, just being able to have that courage to share it, and even if it doesn't go anywhere, often, sometimes, it goes really far. And so I would just trust the process and be brave to show... to open up new vulnerable sides of yourself. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I think that's incredible advice. So now you are writing music like crazy, and from my perspective, having seen you just starting to play, starting to sing and then trying, let's say, a band or just singing or just playing guitar, different roles in the band and finding things that didn't necessarily feel like they were a fit for you, do you find that those experiences were worthwhile just so you knew what was and wasn't really for you? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Yeah, yeah, yeah, completely. Right now, I love the solo, the solo kind of work I'm doing right now, but beforehand, I was like, "I can't perform on stage by myself, I'm way too scared to do that." I probably wouldn't have been able to go on stage, but having my sister to do it with me, having the band then, I needed to have— I felt like I needed this ensemble, this community to do it, and now I have the courage to go. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> And one of the things is that I'm very impressed with now is you are fully expressive, and over the years, having watched, gosh, eight or 10 showcases and many performances, there was always something between you and you being fully you, and there was like there was kind of a layer there that we needed to peel back. And now that is gone, and as a teacher, it's what you aim for; it's the goal. So I am very proud of you that you've continued to push to get to that place to enjoy this and to have fun doing it, and then to be able to do it with your own music, which takes an even higher level of courage. So now, let's jump to this moment and talk about, not just what you've been doing, but what you would like to do with all of the songs that you've created. </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Oh my god, I don't— like, it's endless, isn't it? Right now, I honestly just— over the past couple of weeks, I've started showing these to my friends, which is... just a huge step just because they feel like they're such vulnerable songs. I feel like they're my moments, and then I'll have a friend be like, "Oh my God, Natalie, I love that the new song." They'll say the title... you know, something that's in my brain, it's just supposed to be in my brain. So I think sharing with more people is something that I'm working towards right now. And performing would be amazing. I have my first-ever live gig coming up soon, which is super, super exciting, and yeah, I don't know. Honestly I'm trusting the process, definitely, but also stepping outside of my comfort zone and taking leaps and yeah, just see... It's difficult because I would love to share this with more people. That's my goal, just in general, to have this out there. </p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: Share your music with more people. </p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Yeah, I'd love to have it... My huge goal would be if I could play for a gig and have them know my lyrics, that would be insane. They know my moment, and they've been able to... I've successfully been able to evoke the same emotions, the same thoughts in them, that would be... That would be crazy. That would be amazing. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>That will happen. I feel very confident of that. </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Thank you. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Now, how many songs have you counted, have you written in the last year? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Oh God, that's... Oh my God. So I've had them all in my notes document called. It's a folder called "music staff," and I have 164 documents in there. Most of them are from since January, and some of them are full songs, some of them are verse one through chorus one. But at this point, I would say I make a solid like 15, 20 a week, I don't know, maybe more than that. I'm definitely kicking up the pace. It's not slowing down anytime soon, so yeah. And I'm also trying different types of songs. I'm creating a mad song right now, which is the first time I ever done that, so I wanna branch out and make different stuff. </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>You mean an angry... like a mad, as in, angry song? </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Like a little angsty almost, yeah. It's called "Paint You Dead." It's super angsty. Yeah, so I'm trying to develop different parts of myself. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> I love that. I can't wait to hear that song. </p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Thank you. </p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Alright, well, thank you, Natalie, so much for sharing your experiences. The idea is that this inspires younger students to just know what is possible, where they can go and where music can take them, and I think you're a wonderful example of that, and I'm so proud of how far you've come.</p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">SoundLife</a>. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66418192021-05-29T11:58:47-07:002022-05-11T04:59:12-07:00Liner Notes for the Digital Age<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/040e74dafbf4095c2932c150ec99cdfec741839c/original/screen-shot-2021-05-27-at-1-14-57-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Remember liner notes? Probably not. In today’s world, liner notes are found in descriptions on Apple Music or Spotify. They are more of a summary of what the album is all about, and much less of a true liner note experience. When music was something everyone could physically hold, liner notes were part of the listening experience. Reading through the album jacket to study the lyrics while lying on the floor and listening to every song top to bottom is a deep listening experience that I believe gets lost in today's world of playlists, singles, and constant content.</p>
<p>Of course, all the streaming services now integrate lyrics into their experience, but it’s not the same as holding them in your hand—and beyond that, lyrics are only one piece of liner notes. Physical albums also let the listener know who was playing on, writing, engineering, mastering, and producing every song. Then they go a step deeper and tell the listener where and how the experience was captured, meaning whether it was recorded live or not, in studio or on stage, and exactly where and when the recording(s) took place.</p>
<p>Both <a contents="Tunecore" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.tunecore.com/blog/2017/05/making-case-digital-liner-notes.html" target="_blank">TuneCore</a> and <a contents="Sonicbids" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://blog.sonicbids.com/do-liner-notes-still-matter" target="_blank">Sonicbids</a> have written excellent articles on the importance of liner notes in the digital age. All of this information gives the listener a lens or framing for the listening experience. It helps set expectations, but it also deepens the understanding of how the music they are listening to was created, which gives more meaning to the music.</p>
<h4>The Lost Art of Album Liner Notes</h4>
<p>When I was about 11, I became obsessed with buying CDs. Every week I would go to the record store on Tuesday when new music came out and buy something, then go home and listen to it while reading every piece of information in the liner notes. Though all of those CDs are useless now (and worthless), the seeds they planted continue to grow. </p>
<p>To illustrate the power of liner notes, I’d like to share a brief, but true example. In 8th grade, my Mother let me sign up for a CD catalog, which was very popular at the time. I was able to pick a number of CDs from a list, and they were sent to the house. I picked every album simply by the cover artwork, not knowing any of the bands. One of those albums was called <a contents="“Live at the Roxy” by Social Distortion" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6I8SdRsQGrSMtYdbG5s6G3" target="_blank"><em>Live at the Roxy</em> by Social Distortion</a>, which is now considered a classic album. This one album struck me like a bolt of lightning. I memorized every single line of stage banter between songs and read every word of the liner notes over and over again. There was an energy about the live experience, the rawness of it, the mistakes, the attitude. It was something different than a recorded song. It was alive, vibrant, and somewhat dangerous. I was addicted. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bf00b33b425eaaca96eb0758638d5853d2eb0937/original/screen-shot-2021-05-27-at-1-19-01-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4>Daydreams Do Come True</h4>
<p>Right there in the album sleeve, it said that The Roxy was in Hollywood, CA, and that the performances happened over three days, April 7-9 of 1998. That information taught me a lot. It taught me that they took the best performances from each of the three nights. That the band never played any “perfect” sets. What I was listening to was a mix of the best moments from each night. It also taught me that the fans were likely some of the same people—and some different people—but that somehow, even though there were all these variables, the energy and experience maintained a level of consistency that gave the listener a summarized feeling of being right there with them. </p>
<p>Having never heard of The Roxy before, I started to daydream about this magical place. Ten years later, I moved to Los Angeles, holding a special reverence for <a contents="“The Roxy Theatre.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.theroxy.com/" target="_blank">“The Roxy Theatre.”</a> On September 10, 2010, Social Distortion was scheduled to play at the Palladium in Hollywood, a show which I of course had tickets to see.</p>
<p>Two weeks prior to the show, I got the call from the manager of my own band, Los Einstein. “You guys just got booked to open for a national touring act.”</p>
<p>Me: “Where are we playing?”<br>The answer: “The Roxy, on September 10.”</p>
<p>Now, I don’t buy so much into the stars aligning, but this was one of those moments. I sold my tickets to see Social Distortion and instead played with my own band to a sold-out audience at the same club I daydreamed about so many years ago. Sitting backstage, looking at the walls of signatures from all the artists, decade after decade, I felt so grateful. Giving the music meaning by learning everything I could about it gave that moment meaning. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d58f99ce347024dd5dd9204ab367cc94975f312b/original/soundlife-banner-spring-2021-v1.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4>An Opportunity to Record Live</h4>
<p>On June 12, 2020, SoundLife will premiere our <a contents="Virtual Showcase Volume III" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">Virtual Showcase Volume III</a>. For this concert, we gave our bands, who had not been able to play together for over a year and a half due to the pandemic, the opportunity to record live performances for the show. These performances were done at a professional rehearsal facility, and we gave them all the treatment a band would get when recording a live album. We mic’d all the instruments, gave them multiple takes, and shot each performance with five cameras.</p>
<p>We’re very excited to share the final result, for which I will be giving all of the liner notes right on screen. Just like Social Distortion’s “Live at the Roxy,” these performances aren’t perfect. They are raw, energetic, and have that same element of danger. This is, of course, what live music is all about. It’s witnessing music created right before your eyes, with no take backs, no apologies, and no excuses. When it comes to live albums, live performing, and live recording...Remember that they aren’t meant to be perfect. If they were, they wouldn’t have a purpose. They’re meant to be honest. </p>
<p>Today’s true liner notes can be found on <a contents="Wikipedia" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> and on <a contents="All Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.allmusic.com/" target="_blank">All Music</a>. It’s not the same, but I encourage anyone reading this to find a song or album you love and dive deep into it. Find out who played on it, who recorded it, where it was recorded, and then listen again and again. In doing this, we appreciate all of the unsung heroes of music-making. But we are also gaining a deeper understanding of music, which over time unlocks our own passions. </p>
<p><span class="font_small">*The title for this article was taken from the podcast “<a contents="Broken Record: Liner Notes For The Digital Age" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/" target="_blank">Broken Record: Liner Notes for the Digital Age</a>” hosted by Malcom Gladwell and Rick Rubin</span></p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of <a contents="SoundLife." data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife.</a> I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66436062021-05-29T11:47:05-07:002021-05-30T21:48:12-07:00Student of the Month: Jameson<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Jameson on being selected as our <br>June Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4663b4bf9151612a0f740f515de1a602d8b0db28/original/jameson-sotm.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Jameson" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <em>Photo Credit: Mark Daniels </em> </p>
<p>This month we are celebrating the hard work of Jameson Pratt. Jameson is the keyboardist and vocalist for the band No Recess, who have been an integral part of our Virtual Showcase series over the last year and half. </p>
<p>Jameson’s band formed in early 2020, just before the pandemic forced band practices to be remote. During those first few months, the group formed a tight bond, preparing music to perform live on stage at our Spring Showcase. This was unfortunately not meant to be, and in March of 2020, the band was forced to move rehearsals online and start creating video performances. </p>
<p>Now, looking back, we are so proud of the individuals in this band and the work they created for each of our Virtual Showcases. Throughout that time, they persevered through the unknown and it made them strong. Jameson’s presence in the band, not only as a keyboardist, but as a vocalist, strengthened with each performance. The band started to solidify a sound and direction, and now, they’re getting ready to debut something new again. </p>
<p>For our upcoming Virtual Showcase III, Jameson stepped up alongside his bandmate Ralston, both singing lead vocals, trading verses, and singing choruses together. He did this while also playing essential keyboard parts. The song they choose is challenging, and the band worked on it piece by piece, learning all of the parts and increasing the speed of each part over time, remotely. Then they took to the stage for a video shoot, and Jameson, having grown physically and musically, stood out. He gave a commanding performance, which we can’t wait to share with the world. </p>
<p>Congratulations to No Recess and to Jameson Pratt for venturing into the unknown and coming out the other side stronger, wiser, and with a body of work to be proud of. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66184642021-05-01T16:17:18-07:002021-05-05T14:28:34-07:00Student of the Month: Nate<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Nate on being selected as our <br>May Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/81a494d34ff60429f08de00ae4c8bf32e74b554a/original/sotm-nate2.jpeg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Guitar Student" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">This month we are celebrating the hard work of Nathan DeVore. Nate is a guitarist studying privately with Mark Catalano. He is also a member of the band Pillow Fight. </p>
<p>Nate started guitar lessons as a beginner in May of 2020, and now, within just one year, he's preparing to take the stage for the first time as a member of a band at Virtual Showcase III. Going from playing an instrument alone to being part of an ensemble can be both scary and exhilarating, but whatever reservations Nate may have, he doesn't let them show. </p>
<p>In rehearsals Nate is patient, focused, and attentive. He is also a team player, working with his bandmates and his band coach to make the whole better. Nate plays a very vital role in the song his band is preparing by starting the song off by himself. Essentially the entire song hinges on his part, and yet, he steps up every time and plays his parts strong. Then, when it's time to listen to how everyone can improve, Nate quickly becomes quiet and listens intently. Each time the band ran their song in the last rehearsal, it got better and better. </p>
<p>Congratulations, Nate! We honor your hard work and courage and can't wait to see Pillow Fight rock the stage on June 12. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bc506a59b327b1695473be773dd0948cca4841f9/original/sotm-nate.jpeg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/66154592021-04-29T15:59:15-07:002021-05-11T18:58:18-07:00How to Get the Most Out of Your Rehearsal Time <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/7f620ec875c89c7c669a0dd365ed5aceeabdd838/original/aisnu2hgtha-wesley-tingey.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Band Practice" /></p>
<p>Does anyone know why we rehearse? What is the true purpose of rehearsal? We recently asked a group of students this question during their band rehearsal, and one eager young mind raised his hand earnestly. As the band’s coach was about to call on him, the student shouted out: “to learn to play music!” In that very moment, the <a contents="band coach" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" target="_blank">band coach</a> took a breath to reflect and then quieted everyone down so he could speak. Once he had the attention of the room, he first thanked the student for his excitement and then acknowledged that this was a very common misconception. He then said, “The point of rehearsal is not to learn how to play music, but to learn how to play music together.” </p>
<p>This distinction is the difference between professionals and amateurs. Professional musicians and working bands do not learn music in rehearsal; they take care of that before ever stepping foot into the rehearsal space. In truth, a group of professional musicians should be able to run a set of music together without ever rehearsing. So then why rehearse at all? Because the magic is in the chemistry, and chemistry takes time. The goal of rehearsal is for the collective to elevate to a higher level of trust and execution so that music can take flight. Reaching this plateau is impossible if even one member of the group is struggling to play or remember their parts. Only when every member of the group is fully confident in their parts can the group begin to rehearse together. </p>
<h4><strong>Preparing for Rehearsal </strong></h4>
<p>In the professional world, musicians receive some or all of the following items in preparation for a gig. If the gig involves rehearsal, they will receive these items prior to the first rehearsal. The more items on the list they receive, the better prepared they will be. The more prepared everyone involved is, the better the environment. Not every gig requires this much pre-production, but as a general rule, fewer rehearsals mean more pre-production. Pro players are typically proactive in getting or creating what they know they will need to be confident going into any given situation. Every player is different, but the common denominator is knowing exactly what to do when the song is counted off. As a rule, whatever it takes to feel that way, that is what you should do to prepare. </p>
<ul> <li>Song Files <ul> <li>Playlist – Spotify, Apple Music, etc… </li> <li><a contents="Dropbox&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dropbox.com" target="_blank">Dropbox</a></li> <li>Google Drive </li> <li>YouTube </li> </ul> </li> <li>Charts <ul> <li>Chord charts </li> <li>Lead sheets </li> <li>Lyrics</li> </ul> </li> <li>Tracks / Stems <ul> <li>Individual instrument stems (recorded parts for each instrument) </li> <li>Clicks with count-ins, otherwise known as slates </li> </ul> </li> <li>Live Recordings <ul> <li>Reference audio from previous shows </li> <li>Board mixes with click </li> <li>Links to live versions of each song </li> </ul> </li>
</ul>
<h4><strong>Packing for Rehearsal </strong></h4>
<p>Every musician's worst nightmare is showing up for a gig and realizing they forgot their instrument. It sounds impossible, but with everything a musician needs to remember to bring with them, it is definitely possible to forget something essential, and that feeling is awful. The best idea is to make a checklist before rehearsal, and then go down the list when packing for rehearsal, and packing up after rehearsal. Below is a sample checklist for guitarists. </p>
<ul> <li>Electric GTR 1 </li> <li>Acoustic GTR </li> <li>Electric GTR 2 </li> <li>2 ¼-Inch cables </li> <li>Pedal board </li> <li>Power supply </li> <li>Capo </li> <li>Slide </li> <li>Various-size picks </li> <li>Clip tuner </li> <li>iPad or tablet</li> <li>Amp </li> <li>Power cables </li> <li>Speak cable </li>
</ul>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/32f7a339cab720d069d5aa0c1cc87037e487f9dd/original/live-6.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Packing For Rehearsal" /></p>
<h4>
<strong>Rehearsal Etiquette</strong> </h4>
<p>If rehearsal is about learning how to play music together, then the deeper outcome should be trust and respect between all band members. These qualities cannot be bought or sold. They can only be earned. Many pro players walk into rehearsal with a reputation of always being prepared; others do not. The players who do have a reputation of being reliable have the privilege of walking into rehearsal with trust and respect already deposited into the bank account, which ultimately is to everyone’s benefit. </p>
<p>As a group builds trust, the music will take shape, then the show will take shape, and then, the experience of it all will be born from everyone’s hard work. This can only happen when everyone reaches a place of knowing their role and executing it with precision. In every rehearsal, the following rules, though unsaid, are always in effect: </p>
<ul> <li>Seek first to understand, then to be understood </li> <li>Silence your instrument when not being used for the group </li> <li>Listen actively to everyone </li> <li>Serve the group, not the individual </li> <li>Be generous / be kind / be supportive </li>
</ul>
<h4><strong>Knowing the Goal </strong></h4>
<p>Oftentimes when a professional musician gets called for a tour, a label showcase, or even a one-off high-profile performance, they will get a set number of rehearsals. The number of rehearsals will reflect the budget of the circumstance and the level of proficiency needed to achieve the goal. High-level players can put together a 90-minute show of original music in just four rehearsals if they get what they need ahead of time and everyone knows what is expected. </p>
<p>All this to say that rehearsal is really about learning how to set and realize goals as a collective and how to lean on one another to create something bigger than any one individual is capable of. When every member of a group is on the same page working toward a common goal, magic does happen. In music, when every band member knows their parts within a song, they can then begin to work on playing music “together.”</p>
<p>From this place, each time they run a song, they polish it a little further; and then the mind begins to automate, and the fun really begins. After all, the real “goal” is to be free. Free from stress and worry. Free from concern as to whether something will be good or bad. This freedom is attainable, and ultimately that is what a band is chasing in rehearsal. Once they catch that freedom and put it on stage, they can then turn their attention to the audience, and together the band and audience can exchange their energies to create something truly special, something they’ll never forget.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/04601d64b219378f16ce9ebdd2c1ef87168bb98c/original/pexels-photo-167579.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Live Music" /></p>
<p> </p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/62f1f7be5075ac96ed55372d0407b2db2b2db6ec/original/screen-shot-2020-08-16-at-12-01-30-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />Hey there! I'm Chris Vazquez, Program Director and Co-Founder of <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">SoundLife</a>. I've committed my life to sharing the joy of music through performance and education. As the curator of and lead contributor to this blog, I take great care to share inspiring, helpful, and eye-opening stories. It is my hope that each article helps both music students and parents of music students all over the world. As a veteran professional musician with over 15 years of touring experience and 20 years of teaching experience, I can say without doubt that dreams do come true, anything is possible, and music education is a life-altering gift.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65839312021-04-12T15:21:12-07:002021-04-20T10:21:36-07:00Chat w/ Pros: Auditioning, Touring, and Building a Career in Music<h4 style="text-align: center;">- A SoundLife Interview Series - </h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">A Fun and Inspiring Series About the Places Music Can Take You</h4>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/04dff7b38fc96c5ee67493ce810976979d441e06/original/screen-shot-2021-03-24-at-6-01-54-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br>We’re back with another <em>Chat with Pros!</em> Today we’re talking with <a contents="Derek Frank" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.derekfrank.com/" target="_blank">Derek Frank</a>, a veteran touring and studio musician in the L.A. music community. He has traveled the world several times over with a “who’s-who” of A-list artists and bands, and is currently splitting his time between pop icon Gwen Stefani and country legend Shania Twain. Aside from his work as a session musician, Derek is also an accomplished composer who recently released a new instrumental album of funk, jazz, and R&B called <a contents="“Eleven Years Later.”&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.derekfrank.com/music" target="_blank"><em>Eleven Years Later</em>.</a> </p>
<p>Derek was generous with his time and had so much insight to share that we decided to include our entire conversation. Today’s chat is all about building a career in music. As we weave through Derek’s personal journey, he shares priceless knowledge about auditioning, touring, networking, and most importantly, the mindset that has kept him working at the highest level year after year. </p>
<p>Derek and I first met in 2013. At the time, SoundLife’s co-founder Michael Torres, who is also a bassist, was on tour with Selena Gomez. On the night Mike played the Staples Center, Derek and his wife attended. Along with a handful of close friends, we all congratulated Mike and celebrated his homecoming show together. After that, Derek and I found ourselves crossing paths in various projects over the years, most notably while he was touring with Air Supply and I was called in to sub for their guitarist. We’ve remained close friends, and aside from Derek being an incredible bassist, I’ve been fortunate to have seen his professionalism first hand. </p>
<p>Derek is a class act. He sets the example in terms of how to interact on a gig, how to prepare, how to present yourself, and how to lift everyone in the room up. Derek is often the first one to arrive and the last to leave. He’s always dressed the part, and he’s quick to respond to all communications. The result is that he makes hiring him an easy decision. As you read, listen to, or watch our conversation, pay attention to the details. Derek is someone I have looked up to for years, someone I’m always honored to make music with and someone I’m proud to call a friend. </p>
<p>Let’s jump in… </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iDaHMMjE0Cw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/iDaHMMjE0Cw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iDaHMMjE0Cw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="505" width="853" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>--- </p>
<p><strong>Chris</strong>: <strong>Derek, Frank, thank you so much for joining us. It’s a privilege to have you as a guest in our <em>Chat w/ Pros</em> series. For some time now, we’ve been interviewing professional musicians in a variety of different areas of the music industry to chat about the different places that music can take someone in life and the different ways it can prepare someone to be successful in whatever they do. Give us a little bit of insight into your journey in music. I know you've done so many things, but give our readers the cliff notes. What took you from just playing the bass to turning it into your lifelong profession? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Well, it's kind of interesting. I pretty much decided when I was eight years old that this is what I was gonna do. I'm old enough to remember when MTV was actually music television, and when I was a kid and first discovered MTV, I was hooked. The first time I saw music videos and live concerts on TV, I saw these guy's playing, and I said I wanted to do that. </p>
<p>As for the bass, it's interesting; it's like I didn't so much pick the bass as it picked me. When I picked one up in a music store and played it, I just knew that was my instrument. I didn't know anything about it, but it just felt right. I said, “Okay. This is my instrument.” I took lessons, I learned songs from bands that I liked, and once I got into high school, I formed a little garage band with my friends. We were, of course, terrible, but we were learning together and it was really cool. </p>
<p>I was blessed to have had some good teachers that really set me on the right path, taught me some great things. And then I just put in hours and hours of practice time. I also met a lot of other musicians that were like-minded, played with them, learned from them, and it just kinda kept building from that. </p>
<p><strong>Chris:</strong> <strong>That’s amazing. I can totally relate to that. When I was 11, I saw a Metallica concert live, and I literally came home and told my Mother, “ I'm gonna be a musician, Mom, I'm gonna be in my room practicing. I'll be there for the next 20 years.” </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> We musicians are lucky when we can discover something like that early on, when we know that's what we want to do, and we're willing to put in whatever work it takes to get to that level. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Absolutely. Now for you, was it stylistic or it didn't matter—you just wanted to play? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> When I was younger, it was kind of stylistic. I was into classic rock, really into Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, The Beatles, and then some of the hair bands of the 80s. Then my mind opened up. As I grew older, I discovered other kinds of music. I discovered jazz eventually and funk and R&B, and used those influences to figure out what I liked. I realized that there's really only two kinds of music: good and bad. There's great things in every genre, and I just learned to appreciate the different qualities of each genre of music, and I think that has helped me in my career because my career is kind of based on versatility. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: When you're 18 heading off to college for music, you ended up going to University of Miami, what was that experience like? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Well, actually before that I went to a summer arts program called <a contents=" Interlochen." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.interlochen.org/" target="_blank">Interlochen.</a> My high school band director in Cleveland, Ohio, turned me on to the place. Once I went there and was surrounded with like-minded musicians that were really serious about their craft and saw how good some of these young musicians were, that's when I really got serious. Interlochen had a full year-round boarding school, and after the camp, I convinced my parents to let me stay and attend Interlochen for my senior year of high school. That was where I started my formal education. I did nothing but play music and practice music, and it was amazing. And then from there, I went to University of Miami as a Studio Music and Jazz Major. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Did you feel prepared going from this program to the University of Miami? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>I felt like maybe I had a head start. That doesn't mean that I was at a higher level than a lot of the other people. I felt more prepared. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: For our audience members that aren't familiar with the University of Miami's music program, they are traditionally one of the most forward-thinking programs, having an incredible jazz program and fusion programs and very renowned faculty. What was that experience like? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> That's kind of what drew me to the school is that it was forward-thinking. A lot of music schools' jazz programs were very traditional and all about big band. I would have had to just be an Upright player, and they didn't have much in the way of Fusion, Pop, RnB, or Funk, which was where I was coming from, being primarily an electric bass player. Really, my only two choices were Miami and Berklee. My parents were living in Florida at the time—they had moved to Florida when I went to boarding school at Interlochen—so Miami was close to them. They got me a little tour of the school, got me in to do a little school tour with the Dean and turned me on to the different things that it offered, and it just made a lot of sense for me to go there. It ended up being the only school I applied to, and I got in. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Funny enough, I picked the other one. I remember going to audition at Miami, and I ended up deciding to go to Berklee. Like you, I was looking for a program with a contemporary approach and those were the two best places at the time to find it. And your parents, were they supportive of this decision to be a musician? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>Like any responsible parent, they may have said things like, “It's hard to be a musician, it’s hard to make money, maybe you wanna find something to fall back on?” But they didn't push too hard. I think they saw how serious I was, because we were living in Cleveland before that, and I just ate, slept, and breathed music. I was playing in the All State Jazz Band called the Ohio Jazz Orchestra Youth. From that I formed my own quintet. I was 15, 16 playing around town with my own Jazz Quintet, and I was practicing all the time. I think they just saw how serious I was about it. I wasn't just some joker that was going off and hanging out with my friends. I was serious, I was putting in the hours, and I think they just saw that I had a passion for it, and luckily they are very supportive. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/82474dd1244c0b8c9bed7dbadc14ac4b79946f7b/original/screen-shot-2021-03-24-at-6-00-28-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong>Chris: I think my parents were very much the same. If I worked at something, they would reinforce that effort with support. So now you finish college and you're headed to make a career of it. You can go to Nashville, you can go to Austin, you can go to New York. Why did you choose Los Angeles? </strong></p>
<p>Derek: Well, it was kind of a fluke. I actually went to Boston first, which, as you know, is a great city, but not the place where you wanna start a career. I finished school, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, I just knew that I wanted to make a living playing music. But, I didn't really know how to do that. Back then, you didn't really have people doing career counseling things, kinda like what you are doing with your school and what we're doing now—we're talking about our careers. I didn't get much of that in school. I got instruction on music and how to play and all that, but there was never anybody who said, “These are the steps you need to take to have a career in music.”</p>
<p>At the time, I was dating a girl who was a jazz vocal major at Miami, and she wanted to transfer to Berklee. She thought Berklee had more for her, and I said, “You know what, I'll go with you.” I thought I would go to Boston, it’s a great city, I'll get some gigs. I got no gigs in Boston. So, it didn't last long. I was broke. I was working at Guitar Center. I hated it. And then an opportunity came up to go out on a cruise ship for a few months, and because I was broke, I took the gig. I had done cruise ship gigs every summer throughout college. That was my summer job. I would go out and play on a cruise ship, so I had that connection. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: I did the same right after college. I worked on cruise ships to get the money to move out to Los Angeles.</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Cool, okay. Yeah, we probably didn’t ever talk about that.Yeah, that's a good gig. For that age, it's great to see the world. I have nothing but great things to say about that whole experience. I got my butt kicked by older guys, and they really kinda taught me about being professional, and I played different styles of music all the time. I also really got my reading together on cruise ships. It kind of saved me. When I was in Boston, completely broke with no gigs, I got a call to go sub on a cruise ship for a couple of months; and of course, I took it. </p>
<p>When I came back, I just realized that Boston wasn't for me and the relationship wasn't working. I had some friends from Miami that were living in San Francisco, and they were making a living playing jazz, and that's where my head was at at the time. I figured I would move to San Francisco, but while I was in college, my parents had moved to Los Angeles, and I had never really been out there. I figured I would go to L.A., live with my parents for the summer, get a day job, save some money, and then I could go to San Francisco and just kinda restart. I was in L.A. for a couple of weeks, and I had tons of friends from Miami that were already playing gigs in L.A., and they were throwing me some gigs. I just saw that there was so much opportunity here and just saw that this was the place to have a career. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Wow, what a journey. So now you're in your early 20s, you're in Los Angeles, the industry as we know has changed so much over the years. Paint a picture of it what it was like then. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> It took me a while to really get going. At first I was playing a little restaurant, jazz gigs and just little things here and there. I was playing at CityWalk at Universal City in a jazz trio that would just play there and the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Nothing that really paid great money, but it was just a way to just get out there, play music, and make a few bucks. At the time I was living with my parents, so I was living rent-free, which helped while I got established. Then I started playing in cover bands, just your standard Top 40 bands. I joined one of those, and we played a couple of different clubs. Back then, I feel like there was a lot more work in that world. Every bar had a cover band playing in it back then. This is '97, '98. All the beach bars had cover bands. I was working all the time playing in one cover band, and then from that, I got to know some other people and then started subbing in some other cover bands. </p>
<p>That was my weekend gig: I'd be doing the cover band thing. Then during the week, I started doing all these singer-songwriter gigs. There were clubs like The Mint, Genghis Cohen, and The Roxy, and The Whisky. Many of the clubs aren't there anymore, but I played with tons of singer-songwriters, and I was doing a lot of recording sessions back then too. There was more of that because not everybody had a home studio back then. You had to go to a studio and hire people to play, so I was doing a lot of work. Things have obviously changed over the years, but back then, I was working every night doing something. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Let's turn our attention now to touring. Your resume reads like a who’s who of artists. You’ve travelled all over the world many times over, but let’s look back. What was it like getting that first gig? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>The first actual tour, my first real road gig came in 2002 with an artist named Brian Auger. He's a Hammond B3 organ player who came to prominence in the late '60s, early '70s with a group called the Trinity and then Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express, which is kind of like a fusion band. They had a big following. He is thought of as a legendary Hammond B3 player. So that was my first tour. My buddy Dan Lutz had been playing in the band, and he couldn't do a tour, so he threw my name in the hat. I went and jammed with them, and we gelled pretty well right away, so they invited me on a tour. We did a U.S. tour to start, then that turned into many years with Brian. We played Europe and Australia, New Zealand, Japan. Man, Brian took me all over the world, and it was a lot of fun. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Moving into the pop world, I remember when I graduated from Berklee, the whispers were to go find a man in Los Angeles named Barry Squire, that he was the key to entering the pop music world. So when I first moved to L.A., I tracked him down by visiting every show or jam session in town. When I finally did meet him, it was not what I expected. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>Yeah, he's a very unassuming guy. You think he's gonna be this big time music mogul, but he’s a very soft-spoken, mellow guy. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Very much so. He and I hit it off, and he really did change the game for me. At that point, he had access to people and opportunities that I otherwise would not have access to. This was essentially how I met so many people in the L.A. music scene. What was that like for you, moving into the more of that pop world? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>Yeah, I used to do auditions for Barry all the time. There were a few guys that were holding auditions as well, like Bruce Sterling and Ricky Minor. But yeah, I was doing tons of those auditions. Many were what we refer to as “cattle calls”, where you'll show up and it could be 20 guitar players or 20 bass players. You have no idea who they're gonna pick, or why they're gonna pick that person, so you do your best. You learn the music, you go in and play and hope that they like you. I did a ton of those things, and then the first one that actually worked out was an act called Aly & AJ. It was these two sisters that were on Hollywood Records, which was a division of Disney, and they came from Disney TV shows. They also had a movie together. They were Disney stars, and their music was played on Radio Disney, and that was my first pop gig. And it was great. </p>
<p>We did a U.S. tour playing amphitheaters, theme parks, and a couple of arenas. We did TV shows as well. I was with them for a couple of years. Great band, great musicians. Jaco Caraco was on guitar, who's now been with Miley Cyrus for years. The musical director was a guy named Zu who went on to play with Macy Gray and a bunch of other folks. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8bca71e0fef0f3c3c8db4c371996e0480879162a/original/screen-shot-2021-03-24-at-6-02-12-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Gwen Stefani & Derek Frank Bassist" /></p>
<p><strong>Chris: So, true story regarding the Aly & AJ band...when I first moved to Los Angeles, I went out with a friend, and he brought his high school buddy he grew up with, who he wanted me to meet. In walks Jaco Caraco. My buddy knew I was a guitar player and knew how much I wanted to get into touring. So I'm having a drink with Jaco, and he's telling me about the road and everything, and this is right when you're doing that gig, the Aly & AJ gig. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Wow, okay. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Yeah, this is right when you're on Aly & AJ, and I’m hearing Jaco’s stories and thinking, “Man, to be able to do that would be amazing.” Fast forward, Bruce Sterling calls me for an audition with Ashley Tisdale, and at that point, the music director is Jaco! </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Woah, I was at that audition, but I don't think we met then. I think we went in, we do not... </p>
<p><strong>Chris: No, we met years later. At that point, this was my first big audition. I didn’t know how to dress or how anything worked. I didn’t know how to program sounds. I don't know the right look in terms of what ax (guitar) to bring. And in this world, I didn’t know how important those things are. And Jaco, he owns those things and was so helpful. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> He told you that stuff before the audition? </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Not before the addition, before the call back. So I go to the audition, and he comes out. He's like, "I'm gonna give you a call back, but you gotta go get some clothes, go get a Strat (Fender Stratocaster) or Les Paul. I don't care where you get it from, borrow things if you have to."</strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Wow, that’s so great that he told you that. I did a handful of auditions not knowing those things as well. I remember I did one audition when I moved to town, I had a five-string bass with the EMG pickups, and it was purple. I had no sense of style, wore baggy jeans and oversized t-shirts. I went and I know I learned the songs well, and I played them as well as I could, and the MD who was a drummer was like, “That was great, but we're gonna call back, but do you have another bass?" And I was like, “No.” So he says, “Oh dude, if you're gonna be in L.A. and playing rock and roll, you gotta have a Fender P Bass.” I was like, Wow, I didn't know. No one ever told me that. </p>
<p>So same as you, I immediately went out and got the right stuff. I went to Guitar Center Hollywood and bought a 78 P Bass. I went in the next day, and he's like, “Did you just buy that?” I said "yes," and he just said, “Good man.” </p>
<p><strong>Chris: We teach a lot of our students this: people listen with their eyes. You need to present yourself in a way that they can hear. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> And that's one thing that we learn as we go on in this town, that we're not just in the music business, we're in the entertainment business. It's a show. It's as much visual as it is musical. </p>
<p>And of course, the visual should never be taken more seriously than the music. Music is always first, but we need to be aware that there is a visual presentation to it. We just need to be open to that and know how to fit in within the visual element. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Yeah absolutely. I wanted to chat about something that I’ve always admired about you, and that’s your work ethic. No matter what's happening, you're always active, you are always into something. As soon as the pandemic hit and gigging was not an option, you started working on your solo record, which is now out and sounds incredible. Over the years, you've always been doing that, whether it’s playing in corporate or cover bands when there isn't a tour happening, or when you're on tour, working on your website or doing sessions. The point is, you are always building something or working on something for after what you’re currently involved in is over. Can you talk a little bit about that?</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>I think that just comes down to me loving music and loving playing. It's not just a job for me, it's something I honestly enjoy doing. So, if I'm in between gigs, I'm gonna do something just because I can't not play. I can't not be involved in music somehow. Like you said, it could be working on a website or something like that. It could also be the fact that, okay, if one gig ends, I wanna do whatever I can to prepare myself for the next gig so that I'm ready. I might put a little band together to play gigs around town. I might just go sub some with other bands, whether they're cover or original bands. I just love playing. I love doing it. I also gotta make a living too, as I'm sure you've explained to your students. You may go out on a tour, but when that tour is done, you're not getting paid. So you have to figure out what the next gig is. A lot of staying busy is preparing for that, just trying to keep my schedule full so that I can pay my bills. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Yeah, I remember something our friend Martin Estrada told me when I first started doing auditions and he was mentoring me. He said, "When you're doing a tour, cut everything you make in half, because you're gonna have to live off of that after the tour is over." </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> That's good advice. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: For the last few years you have been working with two of the most powerful female forces in music, Shania Twain and Gwen Stefani. Tell us about these experiences, the audition process, and what it’s been like working with these incredible artists. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Of course. That goes back quite a few years actually. In 2007, I was recommended to audition for the <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> band. It wasn't a TV show band; it was the touring version of the show. They would do a season of the TV show and then go out and do a tour, and it was a full arena tour with a 10-piece band. I got recommended to do the audition. The musical director was a guy named Will Hollis. I ended up getting the gig, and I did three tours with <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> until they stopped doing the live tours. That connection I made with the MD was very important. A few years later in 2015, he became Shania Twain’s MD. He was putting together her tour called <em>Rock This Country</em>, and she needed a bass player. My buddy Joshua Ray Gooch—he's her guitarist—threw my name in the hat, as I didn't even know that Will was MD. Once Josh threw my name in the hat, Will was like, “Oh yeah, I know Derek. He did <em>Dancing with the Stars</em>. So I had that connection, which ensured I got the call for the audition. </p>
<p>I ended up getting that gig, and I did that for a couple of years. Then when she [Shania] was taking a break, Will was called to put together a band for Gwen Stefani, as she was doing a tour in 2016. Because Will and I had just worked together with Shania, he called me to audition for Gwen. So I go to audition for Gwen, and this one was really unique because I just went to a studio. Gwen wasn't there. It was just Will and Steven Bradley, who's been Gwen’s long-time trumpet and keyboard player. He was in the band No Doubt with her. So it was just Will and Stephen and a video camera and me. No band, no singer. They just put on the tracks without bass, and I stood there in front of a camera and in front of two or three people playing Gwen’s tunes. That was my audition. It's kind of awkward doing that, but that's just kind of the way it worked out.</p>
<p>I got a call back, and then I went to an audition where Gwen actually was there. She had chosen two bass players to audition. It was me and another guy named Brian Jones. We auditioned, and she ended up picking Brian for that tour. They went out and did the tour, and then like a year and a half or two years later, Brian ended up leaving Gwen to join the band Vampire Weekend. So, once again, she needed a bass player, and because I was kind of the runner-up for that audition Will, the MD, just called me and said, “Hey, Gwen’s doing a Vegas residency. Do you wanna do it? There's no audition. You already auditioned a couple of years ago, she knows who you are, how you play, etc…” This is now 2018, and of course, I said yes. The timing worked out great. Shania didn't need me that year, and so I joined Gwen’s band. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: That is a perfect example of the power of relationships. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Absolutely. Just because I'd known Will from a couple of other gigs and made a good impression I kinda got in his database as somebody who he knew he could call for these things. And, I learned a lesson on that audition, because honestly, when I didn't get the gig the first time, I was pretty bummed. I was pretty confident at the time. I'd just come off of a big tour with Shania Twain. I had a really good relationship with Will. He was with Gwen. I went into the audition. I knew I crushed it. I learned all the songs, all the back up vocals. I programmed a ton of stuff. I was very prepared when I went in, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. Sometimes the artist just gets a feeling about somebody else, and there's nothing you can do about it. Even though you were very prepared, they just picked somebody else, and that's just the way it is. So yeah, I was pretty bummed when I didn't get the gig at that time, but it just goes to show that if you don't get a gig, you can't be too bummed because maybe that call will come later on. </p>
<p>It kind of taught me to trust the universe a little bit more, like maybe it wasn't the time for me to do it that year. Actually, that year is when I joined Air Supply, and I had a great time playing with Air Supply. I played with them for about a year and a half, and it was a great experience. If I was on tour with Gwen, I wouldn't have had the experience of Air Supply. Sometimes things work out for a reason. And when I did get to join Gwen’s band, it felt like it was the right time. Maybe it just wasn't in 2016. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Yeah, you never know. There are things that are in our control and there are things that aren't in our control, and as long as we do everything in our power to take those things that are in our control and make the most out of them, then rest has a way of working itself out. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Exactly, and I learned that as I got older. I think we all do, we just have to go through different experiences. We learn that there's a plan, and like you said, you do your best to give the best of your ability, you try to learn from your mistakes. When things don't work out the way you want them to, you have to learn to trust that. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: When you were doing Air Supply, this when I first came in as a sub guitarist for Aaron. I know it's kind of something that you just embody, but you were very generous with your time and helped to make sure the best tools and information to go in and do that first gig confidently. That's the kind of stuff that's in our control, and that's the kind of stuff that sends that energy out into the universe. You have no idea how it's gonna come back, but those are the things. Now, I will always remember that. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> I try to do things the way that I would want them done for me. Like when you came to sub, and I think I gave you a board mix and whatever info I could give you to make it easier for you to prepare, that's because I would have wanted the same thing. I would have wanted as much information about the gig as possible so that I could go in there and play it to the best of my ability. </p>
<p>It’s for the greater good of the show when everybody's prepared. We can all relax more and just play music rather than trying to think about things and struggle. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4c7a184fa6c4a16b6966990377373d23d53661a4/original/screen-shot-2021-03-24-at-6-00-09-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Soundcheck Live with Derek Frank" /></p>
<p><strong>Chris: Tell me about the Shania Twain audition. What was that like? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek: </strong>That was a really fun one. Of course, it was fun because I ended up getting the gig, but it was also a very unique audition. It was a long process, and like I said, my friend Josh Gooch had been playing guitar for her for a long time. He's the one that threw my name in the hat, and then because I knew Will, I had two people in my corner. Josh told me that the position might be opening up, she might be making some band changes. He put me in touch with Will and Cory Churko, who's now her musical director, but at the time, he was kind of like the road band leader. He's been with her for years. He's a guitarist, fiddle player, singer, and a utility guy who's an amazing musician. Cory was helping put that together, along with Will. So I sent Cory some web links, some YouTube videos, website, and whatever. Everyone was submitting this stuff, and then Will and Cory would pass it to Shania, who would narrow it down. </p>
<p>When the audition finally happened, she had it down to only four bass players and six drummers, and that was it. She was keeping the rest of her current band. At this audition, three of the guys were in that band already—Josh, Cory, and Jason Mallory, who's another multi-instrumentalist. So it was the three of them, and then bass players and drummers for the audition. They told us to block out the whole day. We went down to Center Staging, and they just mixed and matched every bass player play with every drummer just to see who gelled the most. The rest of the time we were all just hanging out outside. It was just a really nice camaraderie. We were all auditioning for the same gig, but it didn't feel competitive. We were all just friendly musicians, and we were joking around and just having a good time. </p>
<p>Shania was not there. It was just a video thing, but she had had her guitar tech, her front-of-house engineer, and her monitor engineer. It was the most pro audition I had been to by far. I gave my basses to the guitar tech when I showed up. He's back there tuning my basses, making intonation adjustments. Then he hands me my bass for the audition. I've never had that before. I had never had a guitar tech take care of me at an audition. That was really cool. It was really pro. After the audition, I didn't hear anything for three-and-a-half weeks. </p>
<p>Then, finally, I got the call from Will telling me I got the gig. The whole process was like three months from first hearing about the gig to when I finally got the gig. It was interesting; it doesn't usually take that long, and of course, it was on my mind the whole time. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Yeah, that's the worst, waiting for the phone to ring for three months. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> I'm thinking about it the whole time. For some reason, I just felt really good about it. It ended up being a great experience, and I'm still with her. Still in her band. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Wow, what story. Over this last year, since obviously Shania and Gwen were not able to do their Las Vegas residencies as a result of the pandemic, you made a new record! I've been spinning this record ever since you gave it to me, and it is crushing. Everybody on the record is at their best. You created an environment on this record for people to be themselves and to really shine. The songs are these great vehicles for everybody to do their thing, and Josh Gooch, his guitar playing on this is ridiculous. It’s so tasteful. What was that experience like? How much of this was live? How much pre-production did you do in terms of getting them kind of acquainted with what your goal was? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> It came together pretty quickly. I started writing as soon as the pandemic hit and live shows were cancelled. I had a super busy schedule the whole year with Gwen and Shania. My schedule was full, but when that all shut down, it was just like, “Wow, okay, what do I do now”? As we were talking about earlier, I don't sit still. I always try to fill up the free time with something. I was just thinking, you know what, maybe now is the time to do a record. The last solo record I did was in 2009. It had been a while because I just didn't have time. So I was just like, “You know what, I'm home, I'm gonna sit here and write songs and do a record.” I started writing the tunes, and as I started to see what was coming out of my brain, I started trying to think of who would be the best players for these songs. Because I've been in L.A. for a long time, I’ve played with a lot of great musicians. </p>
<p>I kinda know how a lot of people play and how a lot of people approach things, and I started just going through my mind and trying to figure out who to call. I ended up calling Josh Gooch, the guitarist from Shania’s band, Randy Cook, and Ty Bailey on keyboards. Ty plays with Katy Perry. That's his main gig. Randy Cook has played with tons of people. He's been in the band Smash Mouth for a while, and Colbie Caillat. He’s also played in Ringo Starr's band. I've done gigs with all of them around town, so I knew how they all played. I just thought it would be a good combination of people. Once I had 10 songs together, I sent them demos, and we got together at my place and rehearsed a few times. Then we went into the studio, and we just sort of made it a band thing. I had these demos of the songs, but we got together and really arranged them and really honed in on parts. And then when we went to the studio, we played together. We did it all old school in the same room together, playing at the same time. </p>
<p><strong>Chris: Very last question here...If you were to start from scratch and you were going to give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derek:</strong> Wow. One piece of advice, I would say just be open-minded and observant. I think that's one thing that has helped me to have whatever success I have had in the music industry. Learn from mistakes and learn from other people. Learn with your eyes and ears open. See when somebody's doing something right, or somebody is doing something wrong, when you're doing something right, or when you're doing something wrong. That’s the one thing that has helped me be successful. I'm observant. If something doesn't work out for me, I try to figure out why, and if it worked out for somebody else, I try to figure out why it worked out for that person and not me. I don't get envious about it. It's more just like, “How can I learn from this?” </p>
<p><strong>Chris: That is priceless advice! Thank you, Derek. Thank you so much for taking the time to share these insights with us.</strong></p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Connect with Derek in all your favorite places! </p>
<p><a contents="Website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.derekfrank.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> </p>
<p><a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/derekfrankbass/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </p>
<p><a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/derekfrank/videos" target="_blank">YouTube</a> </p>
<p><a contents="Spotify&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6wHwMdO8yKLyy5CdBReDa3?si=HMvMgHHeTcewu3FoOtFIAQ&nd=1" target="_blank">Spotify </a> </p>
<p><a contents="Apple Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/derek-frank/345596545" target="_blank">Apple Music</a></p>
<hr><p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65859962021-03-26T14:41:26-07:002021-04-01T15:29:42-07:00Student of the Month: Zoe<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Zoe on being selected as our <br>April Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7dc67b886231c08521e015c14be42bc554e912e7/original/screen-shot-2021-03-26-at-2-18-50-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Voice | Student Of The Month" /></strong></p>
<p>This month we're celebrating Zoe as our SoundLife Student Of The Month, while at the same time wishing her entire family a safe and successful move from Los Angeles to Seattle! </p>
<p>Zoe is a piano, guitar, and voice student studying privately with Blake Estrada, and also working in her band Pillow Fight with Band Coach Enrique Lara. She's also a former member of the band Rock Mojis. During her time with SoundLife, Zoe has performed on stage at multiple live Showcases, and in the last year, she participated in both of our Virtual Showcases.</p>
<p>Zoe is a joy to work with! She is funny, creative, hardworking, and has grown incredibly as a performer over the years. Zoe, along with her older brother Jamie, who is another recent Student of the Month, will be greatly missed. </p>
<p>Though they will continue with private lessons online, their presence in rehearsals always brightened the room. It won't be quite the same without Zoe or Jamie. From all of us at SoundLife, congratulations on the big move, and we wish you all the best!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65848212021-03-25T15:11:53-07:002021-04-12T11:55:22-07:00Teacher Feature: Sing, Play, Compose w/ Krystal Johnson <h3><strong><em>Teacher Feature</em> showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be! </strong></h3>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/71f73882891e2a9499b9e0419dff64494eae236a/original/krystal-johnson.jpeg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Krystal Johnson is an incredible asset to the SoundLife Community, bringing virtuosity, experience, and an inspiring attitude to every lesson she teaches. As an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Krystal is highly proficient on the piano, trumpet, and other brass instruments. She's also an accomplished vocalist. </p>
<p>Born in Cleveland, OH, Krystal’s musical journey led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where she received a full scholarship. During her time at Berklee, Krystal participated in the Beantown Jazz Festival three years in a row, performing alongside jazz legends such as Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall, The New York Voices, and more. </p>
<p>After graduation, Krystal relocated to Atlanta, GA, to continue pursuing her dreams. While in Atlanta, she had the opportunity to perform with Beyonce and Coldplay in Super Bowl 50. She also worked with Solange Knowles, Train, and Musiq Soulchild. <span class="font_regular">Since moving to L.A. Krystal has performed on the Grammy’s, the Oscars, Coachella, and has toured around the globe with Janelle Monáe</span></p>
<p>Aside from being an accomplished instrumentalist, Krystal is also a composer with a lengthy resume of placements in both TV and Film. She relocated from Atlanta to Los Angeles to further her composition career and has since had placements on E! Television and on the Oxygen Network. </p>
<p>As an instructor, Krystal brings an advanced knowledge of chordal harmony, improvisation, and theory. She is well-versed in jazz, R&B, pop, blues, and classical music, as well as writing and recording. This amazing versatility allows her to craft a unique and individualized approach to each student, ensuring that they have the right information and the proper pathway to reach their musical goals. </p>
<p>We feel incredibly fortunate that Krystal is a member of the SoundLife team and is committed to helping us achieve our mission to educate, inspire, and unite through an immersive music education. It's part of our commitment to our students to ensure that our instructors are both teachers and trusted mentors and that they are continually working toward their own personal goals as well. Krystal exemplifies all these qualities and more, and her student’s can’t help but be inspired by her journey!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/29791d2f4772fa7be7642e45c9b927ceb4c81821/original/screen-shot-2021-03-25-at-2-38-34-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Krystal Johnson | Keyboards" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ab9aaefe590ae5e94c40b299faf44c2ba9747605/original/screen-shot-2021-03-25-at-2-38-55-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Krystal Johnson with Beyonce" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65578532021-02-24T15:30:55-08:002021-05-01T11:28:23-07:00Student of the Month: Cole<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Cole on being selected as our <br>March Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2589d62efefa33bea0da810b1fe15e63fb52e829/original/img-4250.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>Cole has been taking <a contents="guitar lessons " data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons" target="_blank">guitar lessons</a> with Chris since summer of 2020. From the very beginning, he has displayed a natural, nearly photographic memory. Even though he was a beginner, Cole's visual memory allowed him to quickly recall chord shapes, note names and locations, strumming patterns, and guitar riffs. With each lesson, he showed an increasing command over the material from the previous lesson, which enabled him to quickly build up his musical skillset. This allowed Chris to help him build a deep song list that currently stands at over 13 songs—and counting! Part of each week's lesson involves reviewing these songs, and Cole never misses a beat. </p>
<p>Recently, he began learning the song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day. Starting first with the chords, Cole quickly mastered the chord progressions for every section of the song. Before long he had all of the sections playable in time with the recording. Now Cole has mastered the end section of the song, which introduced power chords to his skillset for the first time. He's also got the guitar solo, which is the <em>first </em>guitar solo he's learned. </p>
<p>Aside from learning songs, Cole also learned to read written notation—a great and very useful skill. While many students struggle with the patience involved in learning to read music, Cole has excelled. He completed Chris's own instructional book within six months and is now doing weekly sight reading as part of his lesson. </p>
<p>We're so excited to celebrate Cole's accomplishments and to see him continue to grow with the guitar!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65560302021-02-24T11:28:21-08:002021-08-14T04:21:04-07:00Collaboration: Creating Music, Making Friends, and Having Fun<p>Collaboration—it’s not new. In fact, it’s retro. It’s a novel idea we’ve been hearing since early childhood, but now it has new meaning. Now it’s “cool” all over again.</p>
<p>As defined by Webster, <em>collaboration</em> is "the process of two or more people working together to complete a task or achieve a goal." This is, of course, deeply embedded in our everyday lives. Rarely do we ever get through an entire day without some form of collaboration. It is the proof we need that we are, in fact, stronger together. From the gas we put in our car to the groceries we buy to the beaches we enjoy and everything in between, they exist through collaboration. Our mail, our email, our phone, our streaming networks...everything through collaboration. </p>
<p>So why is this concept retro? Because today, collaboration has a whole new life in the wake of spending a year learning, working, and living behind computers. Yes, we also miss school, live music, and spending time with our friends and family near and far, but what have we learned? What will we carry with us after life returns to some form of "normal"? We believe it will be the collaborative spirit and endless possibilities we’ve spent the year tapping into. </p>
<p>We often say music is a team sport, and it's the truest statement ever. Just like athletics, musicianship teaches us how to work together to achieve common goals. It is a <em>purely</em> collaborative process, even from the very first lesson. In the beginning, the collaboration happens between the student, the teacher, and the parents. As time passes, this network expands further and further until there is a village, if not an entire city, of people all connected in some way as they work to achieve common goals together. </p>
<p>In 2020 we had to quickly learn how to see our social limitations as an opportunity to connect with each other in a new way—to create online—which in turn opened the door to limitless possibilities. Below is a list of just five of what could be an endless list of ways that musicians are now collaborating that they weren't taking full advantage of before. </p>
<h4><strong>1. Writing Sessions Online </strong></h4>
<p>Whether it’s on Zoom, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, musicians are writing together online in ways they hadn't previously considered. Artists, producers, engineers, and music teachers are screen-sharing straight from their Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), such as Logic, Pro-tools, and Ableton, to build out sessions and hear parts. To work around latency and audio quality problems, musicians have found their way to <a contents="Audiomovers" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://audiomovers.com/wp/" target="_blank">Audiomovers</a>, which allows you to stream HD audio straight from your DAW. </p>
<p>Writing this way allows everyone to contribute to the song from wherever they are in the world. They can record their ideas from their home, bounce them out, and send them to one another in minutes! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/efdd60938d1bf9ab20d00c43b5b834cfd5388cf3/original/screen-shot-2021-02-22-at-6-49-39-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Streaming HD Audio" /></p>
<h4><strong>2. Recording Remotely </strong></h4>
<p>Remote recording certainly is not<em> new</em>, but it’s absolutely taken on a whole new life over the last year. <a contents="Bands" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching">Bands</a> and <a contents="Songwriters" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program">Songwriters</a> of all styles, genres, and experience levels have created finished projects entirely through remote recording. With superstars like Taylor Swift and Sir Paul McCartney even writing and recording entire album(s) in 2020, it's no surprise that other artists have been creating through remote recording. </p>
<p>It seems the quality of digital audio came of age at the perfect time to make all this possible. Plugins are now so authentic that many musicians can get the sound they’re searching for right from their computer without the massive amplifiers or larger live recording rooms. This means more collaboration and more music.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d01333f1401cdc3347a93e9e33ab58d02a3c5c5b/original/screen-shot-2021-02-22-at-6-53-05-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Sir Paul McCartney" /></p>
<h4><strong>3. Video Creation </strong></h4>
<p>So many videos! From Zoom performances to editing collaboration videos to narrative style music videos, 2020 was very much the renaissance of the music video. At SoundLife, we embraced this idea very early on, first by assembling <a contents="live performance videos" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pypTjCEnMKw" target="_blank">live performance videos</a> for students, and then by doing all-out <a contents="creative music videos" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKFEYaalds" target="_blank">creative music videos</a> for our 2020 Virtual Showcases. The result wasn’t just some cool videos; it was, in many cases, professional-level certified art. We couldn't be more proud of the work our students did on these various projects this past year, and even we were blown away by the concepts and ideas we saw!</p>
<p>What musicians learned was that video creation is easier than it's ever been before. Between our computers, phones, and tablets, we can truly bring any vision to life. This empowering realization will be a cornerstone of the creative process for artists moving forward. </p>
<h4><strong>4. Creating All-Star Bands </strong></h4>
<p>Have you ever wanted to be in a band with _____? (Fill in that blank with anyone, and now it’s possible!) Over the last year, we’ve seen more “supergroups” than ever before. <a contents="Remember the Post Malone virtual show with Travis Barker?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7eaGcIyhPU" target="_blank">Remember the Post Malone virtual show with Travis Barker?</a> That was pretty darn awesome. </p>
<p>If you want to create with someone, there is truly nothing stopping you. Before, maybe you weren’t in the same city, or your schedules didn’t align, or you didn’t know one another. Now it’s at least possible to reach out, connect with someone, and create with them no matter what. Do you want a certain musician to play on your track? Go to their website, hit the contact button, and let them know. They’ll tell you what it costs, and within a short period of time, they’ll be on your record. It's a whole new world of possibility that's no longer limited by geographical proximity or location. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d9a7c493e04675b9601c7ff920e3012729a3f6b5/original/screen-shot-2021-02-22-at-6-52-05-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Post Malone, Travis Barker, Nrivana" /></p>
<h4><strong>5. Sharing Information </strong></h4>
<p>Information is priceless, but creatives certainly decided to monetize it in 2020. Every musician seemed to be working on their YouTube channel and subscription services. Truth be told, there are many questions and answers, and over the last year, people on these two opposing sides have been laser focused in connecting with one another. </p>
<p>Whether it's lessons on recording, playing, mixing, mastering, or everything between, the answers are out there, and they are clearer and more organized than ever before. Our favorite part of seeing so much educational content created is that we now have more resources available for our students. We've also loved the whole concept of "lesson swapping." Through Zoom, you can exchange information with someone with little effort from either party. All you have to do is find someone you can barter with and exchange guitar lessons for drums lessons, English lessons for Spanish lessons, or marketing lessons for recording lessons. Prior to 2020, this happened all of never. </p>
<p>The point of all of these examples is that music students should't be boohooing over not being able to see or play live music. We all miss live music, of course, but we're also thrilled by all of the <em>new</em> doors that are forever opened by this experience.</p>
<p>If you're struggling because you used to feel connected with your bandmates or school band, or loved being around other like-minded peers, then email us at <a contents="info@soundlifelessons.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:info@soundlifelessons.com">info@soundlifelessons.com</a> and let us help! We’ve made it our mission and a cornerstone of our program to connect students with one another so they can create projects together online. If that’s not up your alley, then just message some of your friends that play music and say, "Hey, do you wanna have a writing session over Zoom tonight?” You might be surprised what comes out of it! </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65313392021-01-29T17:34:07-08:002021-01-30T15:36:35-08:00Chat with Pros: Film Scoring & Composing for Visual Media<h3 style="text-align: center;">- A SoundLife Interview Series - </h3>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">A Fun and Inspiring Series About the Places Music Can Take You</h4>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e48944404b6e62b89ad0694d3960ecf35ebb3e74/original/screen-shot-2021-01-26-at-5-38-24-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Dave Lewis" /></p>
<p>We're back with another <em>Chat with Pros </em>interview! Today we're talking with Dave Lewis, who is a composer for visual media. This means that he's created scores for films, trailers, commercials, video games—you name it. He has worked with networks such as Netflix, Fox, and PBS, as well as some well-known brands like Cadillac, Dropbox, and Vogue. Dave has put a lot of work into honing his musical craft, holding both a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music and a Master's in Film Scoring from <a contents="USC's Thorton School Of Music." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.usc.edu/" style="" target="_blank">USC's Thornton School Of Music.</a></p>
<p>Dave started his musical journey on the piano before finding his way to drums when he was 7 years old. He and I met at Berklee College Of Music in 2003 and have remained close friends ever since. Dave is a masterful musician. His understanding of advanced harmonic and rhythmic concepts and technology make him a force to be reckoned with, both behind the drums and behind the computer. </p>
<p>In 2011, Dave released his first solo Jazz Fusion album featuring all original composition. This album featured Jazz legends, such Oskar Cartaya, Jay Oliver, Bob Franceschini, and George Brooks. It seems like almost everybody plays on Dave's album—you can even hear your's truly on track 8, "<a contents="Everything Happens for a&nbsp;Reason" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/track/5Ypaf0sG7yJa4PQdIZdh3R?si=1dcimi8uTeSVE-YVWmMhFw" target="_blank">Everything Happens for a Reason</a>." Between graduating from Berklee and entering USC's Film Scoring Program, Dave was a full-time session drummer playing and recording all over the city of Los Angeles. His journey into composition, and eventually composing for visual media, is an inspiring one full of priceless insight.</p>
<p>Above all, Dave is an incredible communicator and teacher, and we're thrilled to share the following conversation with you all.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="LYRByoPhx3c" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/LYRByoPhx3c/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LYRByoPhx3c?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Chris: Dave, give us a brief history of how you went from just learning how to play an instrument to now, where you are deep into the film scoring world. </strong></p>
<p>Dave: Oh, boy. Well, it’s been a lifelong journey. First of all, thank you so much for having me! Music has been something that I live and breathe every day, for my entire life. I grew up with music. My Father plays tabla, which is an Indian classical drum. It’s a hand drum. I grew up immersed in Indian music and culture. Eventually I started to learn the piano around 2nd or 3rd grade. I got hooked into music through playing the recorder in 3rd grade. Do you remember playing the recorder? </p>
<p><strong>C: I do. I’m surprised you got hooked by the recorder. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> So much fun. I loved the recorder. I had so much fun that I actually requested my elementary school teacher give me piano lessons. So she became my private lesson teacher for a long time. From that point on, I did it all. I played in recitals. I went through Alfred's books. I was always engaged by her enthusiasm for music and by the fact that I was really enjoying the songs I was playing. </p>
<p>I made my segue into drumming at Interlocken, a camp for the arts in Michigan. This is the summer between 6th and 7th grade. Long story short, I went there as a piano player and came back as a drummer. I played drums all through high school. I was in a couple rock and punk bands. I learned how to play jazz. After high school, I ended up going to Berklee College of Music and really enjoyed my time there. </p>
<p>That’s where I met you and a bunch of incredible friends and musicians that I’m still very close with today. Then, for a long time after that, I was a touring, gigging session musician in and around Los Angeles. I was also a music teacher for a long time. That was my life for a long time, as a player. </p>
<p>In 2015, I made the transition into producing music and getting into film scoring. It started from taking one gig, having no real clue what I was doing. A friend of mine asked me to co-score a short film with her, and I just said, “Yes. Why not? Let’s do it!” And I just fell in love with the whole process. I loved the ability to tell a story through music and to create emotional support behind what people are seeing on the screen. I just fell in love with the whole process and continued to do that as a novice until I really decided to commit seriously and go to school again. I graduated from USC’s Film Scoring Program at the Thornton School of Music with my Master Degree. I’ve been doing it professionally ever since. </p>
<p><strong>C: When you were at <a contents="Berklee" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" target="_blank">Berklee</a>, what was your major? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> Oh wow. I think I had like five different majors. I started out as a Performance major. Then I decided I could focus on performing, but that I should study something else. That seemed like the smart thing to do. So I did Contemporary Writing & Production and had no idea what I was doing. I quit that and went to Songwriting. Didn’t like that. Went to Business. Didn’t like that. I ended up doing the Professional Music major, which is kind of a “build your own major” program. All together it was a combination of Business, Production, and Performance. </p>
<p>I really loved Berklee. It was such an amazing experience meeting all of these incredible musicians and being able to connect with them and still work with them today. </p>
<p><strong>C: Let’s talk a bit about the film scoring world. We all know that when we watch a movie, there’s music going on, but tell us about this process. How does this all come together, how many people are involved in the process, and what role does music really play? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> That’s a very loaded question. There certainly can be a lot of people involved. Or, it can be just one person. It depends on what level you are at as a composer. It depends on the budget of the film and the budget you are allotted. It depends on how much time you have. There’s so many different factors. </p>
<p>As composers, we are creating the musical score to accompany a film. That is the general understanding of what a film composer does. Typically the way it starts is that I will sit down with the director, and we will have what’s called a “spotting session.” A spotting session is when the composer and the director watch the film together and decide what scenes are going to have music. You also decide what type of music is best. That’s another big question. Sometimes you could have a full orchestra. In this case, you might have a 100-piece orchestra on a scoring stage. </p>
<p>In this case, you have to come up with your concepts, or what we call “themes.” This is any sort of “cue" or short little bit of music that represents a character, supports an emotion, or supports an action. They can really support anything. Roughly half the amount of time in film has music. So if you have a two-hour film, you’re likely to need an hour of music. This can vary of course. These “cues” could be anywhere from a minute to a few minutes of music and serve to enhance what people are seeing on screen. </p>
<p>All of this music is different from what’s referred to as diegetic music or source music, where the actor on screen is also hearing the music. For example someone’s in a parade and there is a marching band playing. The actor and the audience would hear this together. Or there’s a bar and a band playing live at the bar. That would also be considered source music. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2e317a7b19b2e3323cee8c3ab41403fb41ba6f82/original/screen-shot-2021-01-26-at-5-39-09-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Conducting" /></p>
<p><strong>C: This brings up a good question. Is that music someone else's responsibility? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D: </strong>You’re correct. It is. There are all sorts of different types of music required for a film and different approaches. One type of music that many people will be familiar with is “thematic music.” This is when characters have specific music associated with them. Ultimately you want to be able to differentiate how you calibrate composing and creating these musical identities. </p>
<p><strong>C: When you say thematic, I think of <em>Star Wars</em> and Darth Vader’s theme verses Luke Skywalker’s theme. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> Absolutely. That’s a great example. John Williams is the master at creating themes for characters. Also, think of <em>The Dark Knight</em>, the Batman movie. Each character has their own theme. These could be very simple. Think of <em>Jaws</em>, another John Williams theme that’s literally just two notes played in repetition. Once you hear that little half step moving back and forth, you know the shark is coming. Even when the shark is not on screen, still thirty seconds away from showing its face, you know it’s coming. That’s the power of music. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yO8G3gkUrxU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yO8G3gkUrxU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yO8G3gkUrxU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>C: What role does orchestration play in all of this? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> After the spotting session with the director, the next step would be a creative workshop. I’ll come up with ideas and collaborate with the director back and forth. Some composers prefer to hide away in their studio, but I like to share ideas in real time. </p>
<p>Once we get a good idea for a theme, I’ll develop that theme, and that theme can be used across a film in a variety of ways. It can, for example, be orchestrated. The easiest way to think about this is to imagine a “chord.” Imagine a C Major chord on a piano, and ask the question, "How do I take this chord and expand it for an entire orchestra?" The strings, the brass, the woodwinds, the choir, etc. It’s the concept of adapting a certain musical progression to fit for an entire orchestra. There are people who solely do this. That’s their job. They are orchestrators. A composer can write a theme and pass it off to an orchestrator and just say, “Make it sound like a big orchestra.” Other times, usually in my case, a composer can do this themself. I like to be in control of what instruments play what notes. Orchestration is not limited to orchestras. You can orchestrate for any size ensemble and any type of instrumentation. </p>
<p>What if the film is not using an orchestra? What if it’s all synths? You would still need orchestration. This is also a lot of fun. You get to mess with all the knobs and buttons to create these fantastic sounds. You can create an entire score that way. Trent Reznor is a great example of this. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. They did the score for <em>Social Network</em>. They recently did Disney/Pixar’s <em>Soul</em>, among many others. They’re surprisingly versatile. They can really do it (all). </p>
<p>After the creative workshop stage, I need to answer the question, “What am I going to do musically? How am I going to tell this story with different instruments?” Do I want an orchestra? Do I want synths? Do I want it to be avant-garde? Do I want the whole thing to be just drums? It could be anything, and this is an exciting aspect of film scoring. Once you decide this, then you can bring your team together. </p>
<p>In a team, you have your composer, your orchestrator, and you have your music editor. The music editor is the person who places the music into the film and works closely with the director. It’s one step the composer does not necessarily have to deal with. There is also often a composer’s assistant who does much of the less “fun” work. It could be working MIDI and calibrating certain sounds. </p>
<p>A lot of times when I’m working on a score, I don’t have the budget to hire a full orchestra, as that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. In this case, a composer has Sound Libraries. These are computer-generated instruments. Inside every DAW, like Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic, etc...there are Sound Libraries. This where you will find strings, brass, drums, choirs, synths, etc. Nowadays these are “real” instruments, but they of course are not generated live. The composer will use a MIDI keyboard to compose using these Sound Libraries. A good composer can express themselves fully through this process. The technology is so good now that composers can create a convincing orchestral sound with these onboard tools. That’s typically how most composers are doing their work these days. </p>
<p><strong>C: That’s fantastic. There are many young musicians now who know how to use a DAW very well. They have many of these tools and are aware of how to record using them. How does this person get into film scoring? What is something they could do now, on their own, to get started? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> That’s a great question. The best way to learn is by just doing it. They should find a video on YouTube, download it, and extract the audio. Then start with a blank slate and score it themself. They could find trailers or scenes from movies and start right away. They import directly into their DAW, it will ask them about extracting audio, and then they can begin scoring. This is fine for educational purposes. It's a fantastic exercise. </p>
<p>When I was at USC, I was able to rescore scenes from James Bond <em>Skyfall</em>, <em>Prometheus</em>, <em>Moana</em>, and <em><a contents="Harvey Milk. For the latter I was able to record with a 54 piece orchestra at Warner Bros. Studios." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/kqvdzdrEQww" target="_blank">Milk</a></em>. For the latter, I was able to record with a 54-piece orchestra at Warner Bros. Studios. It was incredible. </p>
<p>Another idea is to collaborate with friends. If a student has friends that are into making movies at school or own their own, they should reach out and offer to create something together. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/69c7bb16e15b13ebecf5d20266d49a3e39766abd/original/screen-shot-2021-01-26-at-5-39-55-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Drummer" /></p>
<p><strong>C: Let’s talk about the skills associated with learning an instrument and how they translate to the world of film scoring. Here, we’re talking about learning to read music, notate music, record music, edit music, understanding MIDI, and so much more. The skill set is vast. Probably more so than a lot of other avenues that a musician could go down. What is something that students are probably learning now that they can work on to help develop these skills? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> That’s another great question. On a side note, when I was a kid, I never really understood why I had to learn math in grade school. No one really told me you could become an architect, a scientist, or an astronaut. These great careers utilize this information. Had I known what I could use that information for, it would have helped keep me engaged and motivated. That's the importance of music to me. You can do so much with it. Yes, it’s fun, it lifts you up, it heals, but there’s also a technical aspect that is very important to understand. It is its own language, and being able to speak that language opens a lot of doors, depending on what career someone wants to get into. </p>
<p>As a film composer, especially when you’re first starting out, you have to be everything. You are the composer, the editor, and the orchestrator. You have to prepare your own scores. To be all of these things, you have to know how to do each job, what the limitations are for each instrument, and how to communicate everything. Ear training becomes incredibly important. You need to be able to recognize intervals, rhythms, and chord progressions. With the right training, you can take a melody that's in your head and then write it down, hand it to someone, and they can play that for you. You then need technical skills to orchestrate that melody, and more technical skills to record and edit these ideals. All of these “technical” skills are part of a musician's tool belt. The more skills you have, the quicker you can solve problems, and the more in demand you will be. </p>
<p>In the film scoring world, there are really two types of composers. There are the ones that have a vast musical knowledge, an understanding of harmony and notation. And then there are the composers who just throw ideas at the wall and see what sticks. Neither of these approaches are inherently wrong, but I can’t tell you how much more fun it is to be able to drum up an idea and have the technical understanding to make that a reality—as opposed to going through 50 iterations of trying before they work. </p>
<p><strong>C: I agree with you wholeheartedly. We are musical problem solvers, and the more tools we have on our utility belt, the more problems we can solve. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D: </strong>Yes! Problem-solving. That’s it. </p>
<p><strong>C: What are a couple things you are working on right now that you’re excited about? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> I was working on a show in the second half of last year for Netflix that I am incredibly excited about. It’s an animated show that's just awesome, but right now, at this moment I’m not allowed to say anything more about it. I’m also a music producer, so I have records coming out with an artist out of Oakland and an artist out of Chicago. And now, I’m working on a show for PBS called <em>Iron Maidens</em>, which is an all-girl high school robotics team in competition in New York. I’m also keeping myself busy. </p>
<p><strong>C: Thank you so much for joining us and taking the time to share this with us, Dave. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D: </strong>Thank you for having me. It’s my pleasure. </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Dave Lewis is an active freelance composer for visual media. He is also a music producer and educator. </p>
<p>Connect with Dave in all your favorite places! </p>
<p><a contents="Website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.davidlewismusic.com/" style="" target="_blank">Website</a> </p>
<p><a contents="Instrgram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/davelewismusic" style="" target="_blank">Instagram</a></p>
<p><a contents="Youtube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/davelewis27" style="" target="_blank">YouTube</a></p>
<p><a contents="Spotify&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/4Pjbtyi4Ien3HIEmw0thmy" style="" target="_blank">Spotify </a></p>
<hr><p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65332432021-01-28T14:48:45-08:002021-01-30T14:31:58-08:00Student of the Month: Jamie<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7755bcfc7c78819406416d1153561f3569b2d8ec/original/screen-shot-2021-01-28-at-2-34-23-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Bass Guitar" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Jamie on being selected as our <br>February Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p>Jamie has been taking <a contents="bass lessons" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/bass-lessons" target="_blank">bass lessons</a> with our teacher Blake since 2018. He is also a member of the band Rock Mojis. Over the years, Jamie has performed at numerous concerts and events with his band. We have witnessed his impressive growth as a bassist, as a band member, and as a musician. </p>
<p>Jamie's sense of humor and imagination are two of our favorite qualities. He'll always go out of his way to make his band members laugh, and his imagination helps challenge and inspire his bandmates. Jamie is also very tech savvy, and throughout this past year of learning to communicate and collaborate online, he's remained at the forefront, always helpful and patient. </p>
<p>With musical tastes ranging from punk and hard rock to funk and electronic pop, Jamie is always turning us on to new sounds, while reminding us that the classics are classics for the right reasons. He's incredibly self-motivated, constantly seeking out new songs to try and learn on his own, with his instructor, or with his band. </p>
<p>We're super grateful for Jamie's energy, spirit, and dedication. Congrats, Jamie!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65261222021-01-25T16:56:59-08:002021-01-25T16:56:59-08:00Sign Yourself: How to Release Your Own Music <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/06245041d2ab37a2ca4b023ca8c7455cbb8f3016/original/screen-shot-2021-01-20-at-2-31-37-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Are you a songwriter? An artist? A dreamer? There has never been a time in the history of music when artists have more power and control over their own destinies than they do right now. </p>
<p>Long ago (and not so long ago), composers needed the support of the church, monarchy, or wealthy elite to get their music heard. During the Classical Era, musicians participated in what was called the <a contents="“patronage system” " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://westerncivguides.umwblogs.org/2012/02/27/patronage-system/" target="_blank">“patronage system”</a>, in which musicians were hired to compose and perform for powerful noblemen and their guests. If you were not part of this elite system, good luck. Composers who tried to break away, like <a contents="Mozart" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://mozartradio.wixsite.com/mozart/biography#:~:text=Unlike%20Haydn%2C%20Mozart%20did%20not,because%20of%20his%20rebellious%20attitude." target="_blank">Mozart</a>, lived in uncertainty and struggled financially. Though disguised as record labels, promoters, sponsors, etc, this system was still in place up until the mid 1990s. The wealthy elite still held the power to decide who gets heard, and who does not. </p>
<p>Now, the floodgates have opened, and there’s no going back. Today if I write a song, I can get it out to the entire world within a few weeks for less than the cost of buying one physical album. And so can you! Of course, there are drawbacks to this newfound freedom, but today, we’ll only focus on the empowering truth that you can "sign yourself". You can bypass the wealthy nobleman, build your own audience, and get your music directly to them. My Father used to tell me, “If you don’t invest in yourself, then how can you expect anyone to invest in you?” </p>
<h3><strong>Music Distribution w/ Distrokid </strong></h3>
<p>Right now there are many services that, for a small fee, will distribute music to all major streaming platforms at once. Yes, this means <a contents="Apple Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/browse" target="_blank">Apple Music</a>, <a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.spotify.com/us/" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a contents="Tidal" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://tidal.com/" target="_blank">Tidal</a>, <a contents="Tik Tok" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.tiktok.com" target="_blank">Tik Tok</a>, <a contents="Amazon Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.amazon.com/lp/freemusic?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=491020234963&hvpos=&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5462318234641504476&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030981&hvtargid=kwd-297919029111&ref=pd_sl_8zzyhl96ip_e" target="_blank">Amazon Music</a>, and nearly every other platform—large and small—for one fixed annual price. Some of these platforms include <a contents="TuneCore" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.tunecore.com/?ref=c_9030981&cmp=e_&utm_content=257744318877_&utm_term=tunecore&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_b_temo&gclid=CjwKCAiAxp-ABhALEiwAXm6IyZy0-H8WMgKruPdLIa_cMzG7-SrN7jkb5MGPts10AwBC0puxrxodXxoCK2YQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">TuneCore</a>, <a contents="Amuse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amuse.io/" target="_blank">Amuse</a>, <a contents="Ditto" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dittomusic.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAxp-ABhALEiwAXm6IySEAnHZ_svGDb_oNaydAzeGCIe70YJanxLCU2auFh4hY4aOc2AsdOhoCmeoQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Ditto</a>, and <a contents=" CD Baby" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://cdbaby.com/" target="_blank">CD Baby</a> (the pioneers of the rise of independent distribution). These companies are "<a contents="digital music aggregators" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://musicgoat.com/quick-dirty-music-distribution-service-overview" target="_blank">digital music aggregators</a>" and act as distribution serves for digital music, giving the teenager in their bedroom the same access as the 10x Grammy winner. They then go the extra mile to track sales and streams and make sure the artist gets paid.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/401f393db893f8dea0af4d584e0c18f83cd3cf01/original/screen-shot-2021-01-20-at-2-27-38-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Of all the options available, we have found <a contents="Distrokid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://distrokid.com/vip/seven/1416772?gclid=CjwKCAiAxp-ABhALEiwAXm6IyTWQ70dV-9seRTL9zhjQeYQuJE1lfts7rd3brMihgU-RCyiL6KuPORoCDEkQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Distrokid</a> to be the most affordable, reliable, and transparent. For just $20 a year, you can upload unlimited songs, and Distrokid will distribute your music to all major streaming platforms, monitor your streams, and pay you 100% of your royalties. Their platform can even manage the distribution of cover songs, ensuring that everyone gets properly compensated. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0b5098f6381641f8a1bcce195c01af650b6987c2/original/screen-shot-2021-01-20-at-2-23-16-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4><strong>Three Simple Steps </strong></h4>
<ol> <li>Sign up at <a contents="www.distrokid.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.distrokid.com" target="_blank">www.distrokid.com</a>. </li> <li>Upload your music. </li> <li>Wait. </li>
</ol>
<p>Distrokid’s distribution has proven to be one of the fastest. After you sign up, fill out all of the necessary info, and upload your music, you will then be instructed to check back periodically. Each time you check back in, the list of where your music is appearing will be updated. After a few weeks, your music will be everywhere. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3db0c9b4060c37f7bc98a6d1190b7e466cf83788/original/screen-shot-2021-01-20-at-2-23-25-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4><strong>Riding the WAV </strong></h4>
<p>When uploading your music, make sure that you are <a contents="When uploading your music make sure that you are uploading a WAV" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.audiobuzz.com/blog/wav-or-mp3-whats-the-difference/" target="_blank">uploading a WAV</a> file. Often our libraries on our phones and computers are a mixture of AAC, MP3, and WAV files. Each of these formats offers a different level of audio quality and a different file size. Typically the larger song files are WAV files, as this format offers the best audio. Make sure to select “WAV” when you’re choosing which files to upload. If you do not have a WAV file of your song, then be sure to convert it. This is a fairly easy process that can be done on iTunes or with a free audio converter online. </p>
<h4>
<strong>What about that tree?</strong> </h4>
<p>Yes, it’s true. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, it does not make a sound. Once your music is out in the world, it’s up to you to build your audience and promote, promote, promote. Even if you don’t have aspirations of being a superstar artist, if you have written and recorded music that you are proud of, get it out there. For just $20 a year, you will always have access to your music anywhere you are to listen to, share with friends, or just as a time capsule. </p>
<h3><strong>Who should release their music? </strong></h3>
<p>You should! If you’re reading this article, then you either have music you’re interested in releasing or you know someone who does. If you have written and recorded music, get it out there in the world! </p>
<p>SoundLife recently hosted our <a contents="“Virtual Showcase II.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/hpKFEYaalds" target="_blank">“Virtual Showcase II.”</a> For this event, our performers wrote original music or created interpretations of covers that they recorded remotely. These were then mixed, and music videos were created for each selection. The audio for each selection was sent separately to all students in WAV format in the hope that they would endeavor to release their art to the world.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>"When you record or write down what you've created on an instrument, it will outlive you. It's like planting a tree." </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>~Jason Mraz</em></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65011932020-12-22T18:12:39-08:002021-01-23T11:00:16-08:00Making Virtual Showcase II: The Magic Behind the Music <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hpKFEYaalds" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hpKFEYaalds/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hpKFEYaalds?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>On December 12, 2020, we premiered <a contents="Virtual Showcase II via YouTube Premiere" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/hpKFEYaalds" target="_blank">Virtual Showcase II via YouTube Premiere</a>, a collection of music videos for songs written and recorded remotely by student performers. Just one year earlier, this concept would have seemed impossible. Yet, after enduring a year of uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students continued to be resilient. They raised the bar week after week, giving us much needed hope and faith that we could continue to serve them at the highest level. This was both a test and an opportunity. </p>
<p>For the last seven years, <a contents="SoundLife Music Academy" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife Music Academy</a> has hosted two annual student concerts that we refer to as <a contents="“Showcases.”" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">“Showcases.”</a> For those who have not attended one of these events, they resemble a recital. But over time, these recitals have evolved into much more of a live concert experience. Just three months prior to the first stay-at-home order issued in March 2020, we hosted our 12th concert, which was, at the time, our most successful show to date. Our students performed to a packed house at a top-notch venue with a fantastic sound system, live sound engineer, and videographer. The audience enjoyed bar fare and libations as these students stepped into their alter egos: Rock Stars. This was the culmination of years of trial and error, hard work, research, and determination on the part of myself and the entire SoundLife team. At the end of that show, it felt like we had a refined process that we knew how to continually improve. </p>
<p>Then came 2020. Our students work hard to prepare to showcase their skills and music for friends and family, so rather than cancel the Summer Showcase 2020 as a response to the pandemic, we quickly pivoted to put together an online version: SoundLife's first ever Virtual Showcase. All the performers submitted videos of the music they had been preparing to perform live. Then we synced these videos up, mixed them to the best of our ability, and released them. (For more about this, check out <a contents="“Making A Virtual Showcase Concert Experience.”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/making-a-virtual-concert-experience-social-connection-through-music" target="_blank">“Making a Virtual Showcase Concert Experience.”</a>) The process of creating a live experience that had taken us years to perfect was rendered useless, and in its place we had to create an equally engaging experience in just a matter of months. It was sink (or rather “sync”) or swim. </p>
<p>The result was a great success, but from the moment the last video was finished, I knew we could improve. I knew we could take what we learned and raise the bar for the performers, simplify the process for our team, and create an experience that brought people together at a time of year when everyone needed it most. This confidence and inspiration didn’t just arrive. It was, like all things, a process. </p>
<p>In June of 2020, just after our first Virtual Showcase, two of our students endeavored to take music they had been creating on their own to the level of a professional release. They inquired about getting some songs they had written and recorded themselves professionally mixed. I contacted our engineer Hugo Vera who was happy to help, and the result was a handful of truly awesome songs that were radio-ready! At the same time, bands and students had begun to show fatigue learning cover songs they might never have a chance to perform. Quickly, we shifted our focus to something students could fully realize <em>without </em>a stage. We shifted our program to focus on writing and recording, two things that naturally lend themselves to being in front of a computer. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="cfyeWf9MCf4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/cfyeWf9MCf4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cfyeWf9MCf4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="bIP-fU-jNdk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/bIP-fU-jNdk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bIP-fU-jNdk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>For bands, we had every member contribute riffs, chord progressions, and melodies within specific parameters, such as style, tempo, key, or a given scale. Then we went through these together and voted on the ones that everyone liked the best. The winners were then sorted into verses, choruses, and bridges. Then came vocal melodies, and finally lyrics. Along the way, we recorded every idea so there would be a “reference track” that members could use to record their parts to. Once the song was finished, each member took it upon themself to record their individual parts. As this process emerged, the concept of a “class” changed. No longer were students forced to stay on screen for an entire 90 minutes and listen to a teacher. Instead, instructions were given, and students went off to write and record. Then they uploaded these ideas, and the instructor would assemble the files into a session. The goal was for “class” to be something as far from school as possible. This had to be something that students looked forward to, and so the process evolved further in this direction as time went by. </p>
<p>For those students not in bands, some endeavored to work on what I refer to as “legacy” songs. These are songs, often long and complicated, that every generation will learn over and over again. Great examples for guitarists are “Hotel California” by the Eagles, “Little Wing” by Jimi Hendrix, or “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. Other students started writing their own music much in the same way the bands were. In either case, they learned how to record their parts, which is much different than preparing to play them live. </p>
<p>The truth is that when we listen to live music, our ears are forgiving because there is so much energy and visual stimulation. Artists are often speeding up and slowing down, missing parts, missing lyrics, etc. But, we forgive and forget, because of the environment. On the flip side, when recording, musicians rarely play songs all the way through during tracking. Instead, they work on sections in chunks, perfecting timing, tone, and emotion before moving on. Both ways of performing are incredibly important skills for musicians to have, especially in today's musical landscape. </p>
<p>Throughout this process, the concept for <a contents="Virtual Showcase II" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKFEYaalds">Virtual Showcase II</a> became increasingly clear. Our mission for each Showcase has always been to give performers a platform to share and celebrate the work they are doing in their private lessons and on their own. For the first time in our school's history, this meant creating finished recordings for each band or solo performer, and then creating music videos to bring these works to life. </p>
<p>The result of all of this is more than just an awesome collection of original songs and interpretations of covers written and recorded by our students. That alone is something we’re all very proud of, but the most important thing that came from this is the process itself. We now know that we can help students write, record, mix, and master music to a professional level, remotely. When we first started SoundLife years ago, I never would have thought that this was something we would be able to do, let alone without ever entering someone's home. This obstacle of not being able to serve students in the ways that we were accustomed to was actually our greatest opportunity to date. </p>
<p>As we continue on into 2021, still not knowing when we’ll be able to safely return to teaching in-home, our focus sharpens. The future of music is bright because we see it week in and week out. We see fearlessness. We see adaptability. We see creativity, and curiosity. In this, we move forward with hope and confidence. </p>
<p>-Chris Vazquez, Co-Founder and Program Director</p>
<hr><p>Watch <a contents="Virtual Showcase Volume II" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKFEYaalds">Virtual Showcase Volume II</a> on the SoundLife Music Academy YouTube channel!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65009322020-12-22T17:38:19-08:002020-12-22T17:38:19-08:00Parents Who Rock<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8b0dd665dce07f7ece2021caa7c3b806b1ee695f/original/never-too-late-2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Today I’m excited to share a wonderful conversation with two members of our adult band Never Too Late: Matthew Jonas and Tony Greene. Both Matthew and Tony are parents of students who have been participating in private lessons, band coaching, and our Showcases for some time now. At a certain point, they both decide to start learning alongside their children and realize their own dreams in the process. </p>
<p>Then, in early 2020, the stars aligned, and both Matthew and Tony found themselves in their own band playing the songs they loved. They called this band Never Too Late, which perfectly summed up their mission to create a supportive safe space for anyone their age who had never had the opportunity to be in a band before to do so. Never Too Late consists of Matthew Jonas on guitar, his wife Katie Chin on vocals, Steve Patscheck also on vocals, and Tony Greene on drums. I have had the pleasure of being their band coach and bassist. </p>
<p>Since first starting SoundLife, it has been a large part of our mission to build a community for students to flourish in. Part of this means keeping parents involved and inspired right alongside their children. The articles we write and interviews we do are meant for both students and parents so that they can share in the entire experience together. Never Too Late represents a deeper level of what is possible when learning an instrument becomes something a family shares together.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p><strong>How did you first hear about SoundLife?</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Matthew: </strong>I was looking for a guitar teacher for my son and piano teacher for my daughter, and SoundLife just came up in a random internet search. I said, “This looks good.” </p>
<p><strong>Tony:</strong> I heard through Matthew. His son Dylan was taking lessons through SoundLife, and my son Zeke really wanted to take guitar lessons. I asked Matthew. He said, “SoundLife’s great. Chris is great.” The rest is history. </p>
<p><strong>How long has your family been with SoundLife? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M:</strong> That’s a good question. I was thinking about that recently. I think it’s been four years. Dylan and Becca were either 8 or 9 years old when they started. </p>
<p><strong>T:</strong> Zeke’s been doing guitar for about a year and half now, almost two years. </p>
<p><strong>Once your children started taking lessons, what made you want to form “Never Too Late?” </strong></p>
<p><strong>M:</strong> For me, it was at one of the SoundLife Showcases in Hollywood, watching my son get up on stage and play a Tom Petty song, while I’m sitting in the audience. I thought to myself, “How come he’s living my dream?” Why is he doing what I’ve wanted to do for the last 40 years? That was the thought that went through my head. I thought, "This is dumb. I should be doing that." So then I called you, and I said, “Chris, I've had this unrequited love affair with the guitar far too long, and I wanna learn to play.” So that was the germ of it, just me wanting to do something I’ve wanted to do since I was 12 years old. </p>
<p><strong>And at this point, were you thinking about playing in a band? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M: </strong>No. I never thought about being in a band. I grew up in a family of music appreciators. No one in my family really played music or could carry a tune. My parents did put me in lessons, but there wasn’t really a model or example to follow. There was no structured support. I kinda grew up with this belief that I just wasn't a musician, but I loved music and I spent my life going to concerts. </p>
<p>When I first started taking guitar lessons with SoundLife, I had a few friends who I considered real musicians who would be like, “Hey, Matthew, come on over and jam,” and I'm like, “I can't...I'm really not very good.” That went on for a while until I finally said to myself, “What’s my problem? I should do this.” Then Tony came into the picture. He and I knew one another through our kids' Cub Scouts troop. He said that he had been playing drums for about a year and suggested we get a band together. I suggested getting a band coach, and then the rest just fell into place. That’s the first time I really felt excited about playing music with other people. This is the high school band I always wanted. I get to play like a 14-year-old, and it’s okay. </p>
<p><strong>T:</strong> My whole life I always wanted to play and just never did. I always just had other priorities. My [younger] brother started playing guitar, and he was in bands, and I used to follow them and help them out when they would perform at different venues around LA. I always enjoyed the band vibe, and I kinda always wished I was in one. Then a couple of years ago, somebody just happened to say to me, “I'm getting rid of a drum kit because my kid doesn't play it anymore”, and I said, “Well, I'll take it.” I set up in the garage and just started to play along to the music that I love—classic rock from the 70s. I did that probably for six months until Matthew and I had our conversation about feeling the need to play with other people. What’s been inspiring is watching my son Zeke play, and him getting to watch me play. And then, us having the chance to play together. It’s a great father / son experience. </p>
<p><strong>What has it been like learning alongside your kid? </strong></p>
<p><strong>T:</strong> I do get a little jealous of Zeke having somebody sitting there teaching him every week for 45 minutes or an hour. Watching him grow has been so amazing, and I think watching him improve so much motivated me to want to do that too. It's really fun to watch both of us getting better at our specific instruments so that we can play together. Luckily I think Zeke picked up on the music I love, and now he’s really into bands like Queen, The Eagles, and Tom Petty. So every time he comes and tells me what he’s working on, I get excited to go learn it on the drums. </p>
<p><strong>M:</strong> Dylan will try to teach me things that he's learning. He's working on a solo right now with a slide, and he keeps wanting to show me and teach me the solo so I can learn it. We also just jam together on the blues, which is great. Then whenever I record something for Never Too Late, he always listens and he’s my biggest critic. So it’s great to share that together. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hpKFEYaalds" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hpKFEYaalds/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hpKFEYaalds?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Never Too Late had one official rehearsal before COVID-19 forced a stay-at-home order. After that, all rehearsals were online, but the band persisted. How has social distancing affected the band? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M:</strong> It created some space at least for me to play more, to practice more. So in that sense, it really was kind of a perfect opportunity. We just had the taste of this. We played together one time. It was so much fun, and then it was like, “Oh, we can't do it.” Fortunately we were so excited at the same moment that we suddenly had more free time to learn songs and practice our instruments. </p>
<p><strong>T:</strong> I thought, "Well, we can’t go perform. And we’re so old that we’ll forget anything we don’t document." So we started making videos much in the same way our kids were for the first Virtual Showcase. With your help, we learned to play with the recordings and then sync our parts up so we could hear and see ourselves all together. Each song that we would work on in rehearsal, we endeavored to record. I haven't been working because of COVID. So I've had a lot of free time, and so I spent quite a lot of it sitting behind the drum kit. The videos came about, I think, because really, at least for me, I was trying to work on my video skills and for my own profession. It gave me an opportunity to grow musically as well as professionally, and just have a blast doing it. </p>
<p><strong>M: </strong>It’s been really inspiring for everybody else who's involved because each video is so fun. We can't wait to not even just see ourselves or hear ourselves, but Tony comes up with these fun elements for every video. It's just been awesome. It's been a bit of a gift for sure to have those. </p>
<p><strong>What is the goal with Never Too Late?</strong></p>
<p><strong>M:</strong> The idea I had, and this is what I pitched to Tony, is to play a full set for my 60th birthday. I figure that’s the perfect time to have all the people who care about me in one place where I can subject them to whatever 75 minutes or two hours worth of music. We'll make it like a Grateful Dead show and just lock the doors, make them listen to everything and clap really loudly. </p>
<p>I do want to say that the only requirement to be in the band is you have to be of a certain age, and you've gotta be someone who's never been in a band and never had this experience. Everybody's just super encouraging and supportive because we've never done this before, we're all having this experience for the first learning as we go. </p>
<p><strong>How has SoundLife helped you and your children realize goals?</strong> </p>
<p><strong>T:</strong> I have found SoundLife to be ideal for myself and my son because I like that it's project-oriented, and we're building toward either a Showcase for Zeke—or in our case, just trying to figure out how to play together. Separate from that, we're trying to figure out how to play our own instruments. Without our band coach, we would be lost trying to figure out how to do these things, but having a coach brings us together and helps us maintain momentum. We all have different ways of learning things or performing things, but our coach finds that happy medium between all of that and keeps us going and gives us notes, and we get better and better. For me, it's vital to have somebody who knows what they're doing, helping those who do not. </p>
<p><strong>M:</strong> Well, first of all, I'd say that the only other experience I had with music education was my oldest daughter. She took some piano lessons years ago. It was like, you take her to the school and drop her off, and then she does this sort of awkward performance. I saw her do what I did, which is start and then kinda lose interest. What works with SoundLife, and what I loved from the start, is that the kids were working on the music they loved and they wanted to play. So it was fun music for them, and then when you put them up on stage and they played in front of people, barely being able to play, but enough to stand up there, that priceless inspiration. I remember Dylan doing Tom Petty with a professional vocalist, and it was amazing. And then there's a great picture taken at one of the shows of him with your red Les Paul, and he looks like a total rocker, and he uses that picture, that's his phone picture, it's a crazy great picture. You put him in that place where it felt real and he felt like a real musician. And so I think so that's been really great. That was inspiring and encouraging.</p>
<p>What you also did, which I love, is you had him up there playing with kids much older than him. So he was looking at Babe, an 18-year-old, going, “I wanna play 'Master of Puppets.'” So now he's aspirational, seeing, hearing music that he's interested in and saying, “When do I get to play that well? Maybe not yet, but someday.” So it's been really great. The other thing that I can say is my wife and I have both been very vocal about how we feel about SoundLife. We've encouraged a lot of our friends to get their kids involved, who we knew were into music. So our kids got a band with all their friends, but what's also the biggest, I think, testament, is that two of the guys, two of the Dads of those families are both accomplished musicians. One was in a touring band all over the world, and they love the program because they see the value in it, even though they could probably sit down and teach their own kids to play music because they're skilled. They see the value of not just what you bring and your teachers, but also the program and that support, that community mentality. So it's awesome. We're really grateful. You changed my family's life by bringing music into it, so that legacy of...“We're not music people” is gone. </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our community. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with Student Artists, where they share stories of their personal journeys in music. These interviews aim to give emerging artists a platform to share their story and inspire others. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/65057612020-12-22T16:33:17-08:002020-12-28T20:00:58-08:00Student of the Month: Antonio <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Antonio on being selected as our January Student of the Month!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e4a34af17c49e13b36f0978aaea48dc80f50b2d3/original/screen-shot-2020-12-22-at-3-27-52-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></strong></p>
<p>This month we celebrate the hard work, dedication, and creativity of Antonio Marroquin! Antonio is the drummer for the band TBD—which, to the surprise of many, actually stands for "The Band, Duh?" As a member of TBD, Antonio has participated in every SoundLife Showcase since 2016. Along with his TBD band mates, he has also performed at various charity events, parties, and live music venues. These experience have helped TBD develop into a seasoned band and Antonio into a leader in the group, both on and off stage. </p>
<p>In 2020, after a worldwide pandemic sidelined performances and in-person rehearsal, TBD immediately seized the opportunity to write and record original music. Throughout this process, which can be tedious at times, Antonio was always patient and supportive of everyone's suggestions as the band collectively pushed for the best in one another. Often this meant re-recording drum and percussion takes at various tempos and with different feels. Sometimes this meant simply listening and waiting. Out of this process, TBD emerged with two mixed songs: "Junk" and "Alive or Dead"—and demos of other songs still in progress. They are well on their way!</p>
<p>As the time came for TBD to create music videos for their songs, Antonio endeavored to take on the role of both Director and Editor. He showcased incredible instincts while planning the videos, on set while directing, and with his cuts in the edit. On top of this, he also directed TBD bandmate and <a contents="Featured Student Artist: Nick Palmer" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blogs/soundlife-music-lessons-blog/posts/student-artist-profile-nick-palmer" target="_blank">Featured Student Artist: Nick Palmer</a>'s killer music video for "Feel Something". Both of these videos are incredible works that demonstrate natural talent, exceptional work ethic, and a professional level of skill! </p>
<p>Check out the video for <a contents='"Feel Something"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/_2HXNbISDrI" target="_blank">"Feel Something"</a> and the video for "<a contents="Junk" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/hpKFEYaalds?t=5460" target="_blank">Junk</a>", both of which premiered in the SoundLife Virtual Showcase Volume II. TBD is also planning to release "Junk" separately in early 2021. </p>
<p>Go, Antonio! </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64849002020-11-24T13:46:01-08:002020-11-27T16:54:13-08:00Student of the Month: Leo<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Leo on being selected as our December Student of the Month!</strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5b4af080ab3a41855bfeb0f6c5085bc3c0325de1/original/screen-shot-2020-11-23-at-6-43-48-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In January of 2020, Leo formed the band No Recess with his school mates. Leo joined the band as the bassist, although at the time, he had very little experience playing the bass and no experience playing the bass in a band. Shortly after they started rehearsing, he began taking private bass lessons and working hard week after week to catch up with his bandmates. </p>
<p>All his hard work paid off! In just over two months, the band had come a long way and was beginning to prepare to take the stage for their first performance. Then the unthinkable happened: A worldwide pandemic sidelined all social gatherings, forcing live music to go on pause. But this didn't mean a recess for No Recess. The band forged ahead by putting together two <em>awesome </em>virtual performance videos for their school talent show and our Virtual Student Showcase! </p>
<p>Now, as we put the finishing touches on our second virtual showcase, which includes a brand-new original song by No Recess, Leo has stepped up as a true leader. Over the last few months, he's been a driving creative force in rehearsals and a supportive bandmate to his friends. He sets an incredible example with his work ethic, holds everyone accountable, and strives to make whatever the band is working on great! </p>
<p>In spite of all the mounting obstacles, Leo is an ever-improving bassist and songwriter in an awesome band that's just beginning to tap into their potential! Go Leo!</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64567582020-11-24T13:44:31-08:002020-12-21T17:29:46-08:00Musician’s Promo Kit: Finding, Storing, Organizing, & Sharing Your Promotional Materials <p>With all this technology at our fingertips, why does it always seem like nothing is where we want it when we need it? For musicians, and all entertainers for that matter, keeping track of your promotional materials is of the utmost importance. Yet, so many of us (myself included) struggle with keeping track of and organizing all of our accomplishments and appearances!</p>
<p>When I was a kid, my Mom always had a special place for my sports trophies, medals, awards, and certificates. They were all on display. Never necessary, but always easy to find. For music students, specifically <a contents="SoundLife " data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> students, there are no trophies or certificates. Instead, there are awesome photos, videos, recordings, posts, articles, etc. These are more than symbolic signs of effort or progress! These are <em>promotional materials</em>. Our students are artists, they are writers, they're in bands...they're rock stars. Their promotional materials are valuable assets to have just a click or two away, for when an opportunity comes their way and they need them most. </p>
<p>Why? Well...let me share a quick, and 100% true, story. When I was 18 years old, I entered <a contents="Berklee College Of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" target="_blank">Berklee College of Music</a> as a freshman. I had a nominal, hard-fought scholarship from the school. Along with a few smaller scholarships from various sources for my first year, I was able to get in the door, but I had to take out the rest of the money needed for that first year in personal loans. I knew going into my first year that if I did not increase my scholarship, I was not going to be able to afford to continue. So from day one, I started building a “scholarship portfolio” to submit to the Scholarship Office at Berklee. Every semester, they would review these portfolios and decide whether a student should continue to receive their current scholarship or should be awarded more. These portfolio’s included report cards, performance photos, gig flyers, recommendation letters, news clippings, audition materials, current projects, and recordings. With each review, I grew my portfolio until, in my senior year, I reached full scholarship status. This process led to wonderful relationships with my teachers, the department heads, and everyone in the scholarship office—which, in turn, led to my first job. In the last two weeks of school, two entertainment companies came to Berklee immediately in need of a guitar player. In both cases, I was recommended. I took one of these jobs and never looked back. To this day I keep that scholarship portfolio close by as a reminder of what is possible when I have a goal, and I diligently chip away at it little by little, day by day. </p>
<p>Once I moved to Los Angeles and started trying to work as a professional musician, I quickly realized how important “promo materials” were. Every gig asked for a resume, performance videos, head shots, etc. For me, putting all of this together was easy because of my experience building that scholarship portfolio. Every gig, every photo, and every tour went into a folder on my computer and backed up on an external hard drive. This made submitting for auditions or responding to referrals almost effortless. Eventually all of this information was moved onto a cloud drive, and now, when a request comes in, I just send a quick link. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Here are some tips to find, store, organize, and share your own promotional materials...</strong> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cd135fafc4ef748fe2c08c02daa83254cab18208/original/screen-shot-2020-10-16-at-1-39-05-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Chris Vazquez Guitarist" /></p>
<h4><strong>1. Find </strong></h4>
<p>All SoundLife Students who participate in our concerts get professional live photographs and an edited video from each performance. Keep these! When the email goes out with download links to all of the photos and videos, it’s best to find yours and immediately throw them into the place where you store all of your materials. While I completely understand that not all of the photos or performances are perfect, or something that you would want to share, some will be keepers for life! It is best practice to keep <em>everything</em> and have a separate folder for the cream of the crop. </p>
<p>For those who are performing outside of SoundLife, always talk with anyone you see taking pictures or recording video. Kindly ask if they would send anything they have to you. If they're a professional photographer, make sure to offer to give photo credit on anything you share, and ask for their website/Instagram handle. These types of gestures go a long way! If friends or family are attending your performance, make sure someone is recording and taking photos. Once you receive the files, immediately put them where they belong. </p>
<p>Search for yourself online. Search on Google, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. If you come across something that you don’t have in your folder, make sure to get it. You can <a contents="download YouTube videos using a&nbsp;tool" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.techradar.com/best/free-youtube-downloader" target="_blank">download YouTube videos using a tool</a>. You can screenshot posts or photos. You can also download any Facebook photos. </p>
<p>If you write, record, and release your own music, make sure you put a copy of any demos or final recordings with your promotional materials. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e1db5381d285d3d892e27772b57c252206796855/original/screen-shot-2020-10-16-at-1-39-55-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Dropbox verses Google Drive" /></p>
<h4><strong>2. Store </strong></h4>
<p>Decide where and how you are going to store your promotional materials. So many options are either free or inexpensive. Storing your materials across your desktop is a terrible idea, as is storing them only on your phone. A multi-location approach is the safest bet to making sure you don't lose anything if one storage location crashes. When deciding how you are going to store your materials, it's important to answer the question: “If someone wanted to understand who I am and what I’ve done, what is the quickest way I can show them?” I’ll let you ponder that for a moment... The answer is with a link. With one link you can send everything you need, so storing your materials in a cloud is the best option. (Yes, you should also have them backed up on a hard drive.)</p>
<p><a contents="Google Drive" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://drive.google.com" target="_blank">Google Drive</a> and <a contents="Dropbox " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dropbox.com/" target="_blank">Dropbox </a>are the most widely used services. In my work as a musician, both are used, but Dropbox is used more often. Both are free to start with, offering a limited, but suitable amount of storage when you're just getting started. I urge all of our students to open up an account and start creating folders. If you have a Gmail email address, then you have a Google Drive account associated with that email address. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0e6f0dd5391bd96cf26028c7b1dcb6c2e5c8e2d1/original/screen-shot-2020-10-16-at-1-41-38-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Organizing Music " /></p>
<h4><strong>3. Organize </strong></h4>
<p>Once you've decided where you're going to store your materials, it’s important to organize them for use. This isn’t like a garage full of things you will never need or use—this is where you'll go to retrieve promotional items requested of you, so it’s important that you know where everything is and how to access it efficiently. </p>
<p>I suggest creating one folder labeled “Promo Materials.” Then, inside of that, create a subfolder for each category. Example: Resume, Recommendation Letters, Videos, Photos, Press, Recording. Then, inside of those, create more subfolders. Example: Live Videos & Music Videos, or Headshot & Concert Photos, or Demos & Masters. </p>
<p>Inside of the main folder, create one subfolder labelled EPK. This will be your electronic press kit, and it's where the cream of the crop goes. Ideally your best 1–2 live photos, your best head shots, and your best recordings all go in here. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/484baa913d2e64d27224c13d0868f9bbe7ddd9e7/original/screen-shot-2020-10-16-at-1-42-58-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Sharing Links" /></p>
<h4><strong>4. Share </strong></h4>
<p>How you share these materials will depend on the situation. Sometimes you'll be able to just fire off a link. Sometimes you'll have to download and then upload individual files. In either case, knowing where everything is makes your life easier. One of the biggest benefits is being able to easily share links with friends, family, and mentors! If you’re looking for feedback, or you just want to share something you are proud of, sending a link in an email or text beats waiting for a whole file to upload into a text/email only to realize it’s too big to send. </p>
<p>The reason so many people just don't collect and organize material like this is because they don’t think like they need to. I understand that not every music student is on a mission to be a musician...just like not every person going to the occasional acting audition is planning to be an actor. But practicing this skillset goes beyond any of that. Mastering this will lead to success with<em> less stress</em> in any field you may be in. </p>
<p>For students planning to attend college, especially those hoping to get a scholarship, starting a process like this early will make life much easier when the time comes. And for those who are already artists, actors, entertainers, or plan to follow that path, this is all of the content that will go on your website!</p>
<p>When someone calls with a gig, often it’s the first person to respond with the best materials who gets the job. For me, responding to an inquiry takes about 10 minutes. I generate a link, copy/paste my template email, adjust it to the situation, and press send. That’s it. More often than not, I hear back within minutes that I got the gig. </p>
<p>I hope this helps you in your own musical/artistic journey, wherever you currently are along the way and wherever you plan to go with it.<br><br>~Chris Vazquez</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64792562020-11-24T13:23:18-08:002020-12-03T10:25:13-08:00Student Artist Profile: Chase Mangum <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fa863d1e0bfb3cea841a7dab25d2aff49f13bc9a/original/img-8409-republic-of-chicken.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Today I’m thrilled to chat with one of our longtime students-turned-artist, Chase Mangum. Chase joined the SoundLife family as the bassist for "TBD" back in 2016. Since that time, TBD has gone on to become one of the most influential bands in the SoundLife community, constantly inspiring younger performers to reach new heights. Chase himself has gone on to write, sing, play, and produce his own original music under his own name. In the early days, he was rather shy about stepping up to microphone, but with encouragement from his bandmates, family, and teachers, he began to add in background vocals, then harmonies. Eventually he stepped out front, and now TBD performs with three lead vocalists sharing the spotlight during every performance. </p>
<p>In 2018, Chase joined a second band with his brother Austin, appropriately called "Brother". In this band, he plays drums and contributes heavily to their original music. He also participates in the drumline at his high school, all while continuing to improve as a bassist, guitarist, and singer. </p>
<p>In March of 2020, when COVID-19 shook the world and forced schools to move to online learning, Chase seized the opportunity to learn how to professionally record his own music. Now much more than a singing bassist, he plays every instrument on his songs and has been so prolific that he’s released 5 singles this year, with more on the way. </p>
<p>With each new song, Chase shows immense maturity in not only his writing and playing, but also in his engineering skills. In acquiring these new skills and endeavoring to release his own music, Chase has dramatically influenced the way we at SoundLife approach teaching online. </p>
<p>All in all, it’s clear to see that the future is bright for this rising star, and we’re thrilled to share his insights and music with everyone. </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cdeb0d98c189a4111f00a7efbf45e30e14dcd0af/original/drums-text-body.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Chris: Chase, for those who aren’t yet familiar with your music, tell us a bit about who you are and what you’re all about. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Chase:</strong> Thank you for having me, Chris. I’ve just always loved music. It’s been part of me since I was very young. I started playing the drums at age 2. Growing up, music was always playing around the house and always a priority, so my parents really inspired me to become a musician and an artist. When I became about 15 years old, I started to write my own music. Then just this year, I released my very first song called "Chlorine" in April during quarantine, which was of course a crazy time. Since then, I’ve just continued to write songs and put them out. </p>
<p><strong>How has quarantine helped you to hone your skills as a writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: It’s actually really cool in the sense that I’ve been able to do everything myself, in my room. I haven’t had anyone here recording with me or teaching me in person. It’s all been over Zoom. So everything that I’ve recorded has all been me by myself, and that’s been very rewarding. I have my drum set here, some guitar, my interface, midi-controller, mics, really everything I need. </p>
<p><strong>And who are your biggest influences? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: Right now, I really love Mac DeMarco. I love listening to his music, and I love his production style. I love how it's so simplistic, but just sounds so good. I also like The Police, Rush, Smashing Pumpkins, and this other indie band called The Garden. </p>
<p><strong>Was there an artist, person, or moment that inspired you to want to become an artist? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: There was. I was listening to a lot of Rex Orange County in April—and this one song in particular called "Sunflower" that I loved, and that's kind of what my first song "Chlorine" was inspired by. I really loved the melody, and I thought this would be really cool to write. I tried it, and it ended up working out. </p>
<p><strong>When we first met, singing and writing were not things that you were as comfortable with. What motivated you to go from playing just bass in more of a behind the scenes role to wanting to be up front? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: I've always loved the rhythm section, bass, and drums. Then my Mom said, “Oh, you gotta sing. You got it. It's just something you have to learn to do.” So, I just kind of saw it as something that I had to do and try to make the best time of it. Eventually I came to love singing. </p>
<p><strong>What is your ultimate goal in music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Honestly, my ultimate goal is just to inspire other people. When I listen to music, I love to sit here listening through my speakers and think, “How did they do that?” or “I love how this is mixed” or “I love that one drum beat.” I want there to be a kid out there that's listening to my music and saying, “Oh, I love how he did that.” Even if it’s only one kid, I don't care. As long as there's at least one person out there just nerding out about how cool something is that I made. That’s the goal. </p>
<p><strong>Through music, we have tons of different avenues that someone can take, from recording to playing live to songwriting, and all kinds of little worlds in between. What is your favorite thing to do when it comes to music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: I love performing. I think it’s performing first and then writing. I also love producing. I like it all, I really do. I like it all because I like to start from the beginning of the process and see a song through to the end of the process. Though I think performing is definitely the most fun part. When I record in my room, I'm literally dancing around my room. I'm never just sitting still 'cause I miss performing so much. </p>
<p><strong>How important was your parents' influence in terms of getting you started in music and entertainment in general? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: They’ve always been on me about it. Since I was young, they’ve asked, “Are you sure you wanna do music?” And I've said, “Yes, of course.” At the age of four and five, they were telling me what to do all the time, but it's because they wanted to help me. Sometimes I'll disagree with them just 'cause most kids don't always agree with their parents, but I know they're definitely trying to help me and they want the very best for me. Now, they tell me their opinions, and then we'll kinda talk about it together. Overall, they're very supportive. I’m definitely lucky to have them help me out. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fbde9cae4371e4068fd35ba0978fb285c05bcdf5/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-03-44-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Tell us about these new songs. How did they come about, and what do they mean to you? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: I wrote the first track in June (2020). It's called “Where are you now?” I wrote the riff at 5 a.m. The sun was just about to come up, and I just felt something. I felt motivation, and if you feel any type of motivation, always follow it, even if it's small. I heard that from Steve Vai, and it’s stuck with me. </p>
<p>That song is about not recognizing yourself and change. The first line is, “Wake up to the face of a stranger, I can't remember my name.” It’s imagining that you wake up one day and you just can't even recognize yourself because you've changed. Do you change? Did you change for the better? Did you change for the worst? Why do you change? That’s the whole idea. I've noticed friends and family members, including myself, all change over time, and it's just me wondering, "Why do they change? Who or what made them change? And is it for the better?" That's the first track. </p>
<p><strong>And tell me about “What’s Not to Love?”</strong> </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>That's about the music industry or the entertainment industry. It's almost ironic. I could say, <em>what's not to love</em>? It's never an easy ride. You work countless hours and make barely any money doing what you love, so it's ironic to say something like, “Oh yeah, what's not to love?” </p>
<p><strong>I’m very familiar. But, the reward for that is that you’ll never “work” a day in your life. </strong></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Very true. </p>
<p><strong>Let’s talk about your first music video for the song “Bored.” How did that video come about? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Yeah, when I wrote "Bored," I thought it was such a cool song. It has a very Smashing Pumpkins grunge vibe. I thought it would be really cool to shoot for that song. I asked my friend Sean Carlo Martini for help. Then the next thing I know, he hits me up at about 5:00 am, and he's like, “Yo, let's shoot this video.” So we went down in the middle of the street on Riverside, and there were no cars, so we were just doing the entire video with my guitar on and walking through the streets. We did some skateboarding as well. It was a lot of fun. That was definitely a life-changing experience. It was the first official music video for one of my own songs. Hopefully just the first of many. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="4Bgy5QFGPGk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/4Bgy5QFGPGk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Bgy5QFGPGk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>That’s amazing, Chase. It’s inspiring to see how far you’ve come in such a short period of time. There’s no dream too big. The sky's the limit. In the closing of our interview, I always like to ask artists a handful of rapid fire questions. No hesitation. Just say the first thing that comes to your mind. </strong></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Got it. </p>
<p><strong>Favorite band? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> Smashing Pumpkins </p>
<p><strong>Favorite concert experience? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C:</strong> When I went to go see R40. Rush. That was the last time they ever performed, and I got to see Neil Peart, which was amazing. </p>
<p><strong>Favorite song? </strong></p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>“1979” by Smashing Pumpkins. It’s just such a classic song. </p>
<p><strong>Most influential artist in your life right now?</strong> </p>
<p><strong>C: </strong>Right now, Mac Demarco. </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Chase Mangum's music is available on all streaming platforms. Follow Chase on Instagram and Spotify to support his amazing journey. </p>
<p>Connect with Chase Mangum in all of your favorite places! </p>
<p><a contents="Spotify&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oRfMcHidQXlEUTH3WmzaK?si=f2ft9PrfSL2hAvtP_mq_hg" target="_blank">Spotify </a></p>
<p><a contents="Apple Music&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/chase-mangum/1509599248" target="_blank">Apple Music </a></p>
<p><a contents="Instagram&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/chasemangumofficial" target="_blank">Instagram </a> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our community. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with Student Artists, where they share stories of their personal journeys in music. These interviews aim to give emerging artists a platform to share their art and inspire others. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64551142020-10-29T14:07:50-07:002020-11-29T21:27:45-08:00Chat with Pros: Music Business & Sync Licensing with an A&R Manager<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>- A SoundLife Interview Series - </strong></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Fun and Inspiring Series About the Places Music Can Take You</strong></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bf86a0eaa0b01b81cc7e1b7c6423267afb21a65c/original/screen-shot-2020-10-14-at-11-07-31-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Michael Torres" /></p>
<p>We’re back with another "Chat With Pros"! Today we’re talking with Michael Torres, a Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and A&R Manager at <a contents="Position Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.positionmusic.com/" target="_blank">Position Music</a>. Today’s chat is all about music publishing, sync licensing, the current state of the music industry, and how writers, producers, and artists can make a living in music. </p>
<p>I first met Mike in Boston at <a contents="Berklee College of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" target="_blank">Berklee College of Music</a>. We met as students and have remained the closest of friends ever since – although today’s story isn’t about us, or me, or even SoundLife. Today’s interview is about Mike’s journey from being one of the most in–demand bassists in Los Angeles, to killing it behind the scenes as an A&R Manager at a record label and publishing company. </p>
<p>Mike graduated from Berklee in 2007. For most of the next decade, he worked as a bassist… <em>constantly</em>. Mike spent years touring with big artists, most notably Macy Gray and Selena Gomez. With those artists and others, he has played an impressive number of major network television and awards shows, and even <a contents="Cowboys Stadium for the Thanksgiving Day game" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/gLMYtKDan6E" target="_blank">Cowboys Stadium for the Thanksgiving Day game</a>. As a musician, he has reached heights that many people only dream of. Then he charted another course. </p>
<p>As an A&R Manager, Mike is directly responsible for signing, developing, and pitching music for producers, writers, and artists. For those writing, recording, and putting out their own music, today’s conversation will give valuable insight into what someone at a record label or publishing company is looking for. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="udqjqG-kOos" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/udqjqG-kOos/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/udqjqG-kOos?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Chris</strong>: <strong>Mike, thank you so much for doing this today. For those who have no idea, you and I have known each other for almost 20 years now. And I think some of the people that are part of our community know that we started SoundLife together and that we have this journey as musicians together, but there is a whole other side to what you do outside of SoundLife. That is what we want to share with everybody today. So, if you could just give our audience a little summarized version of your journey from going to Berklee to be a bass player to now where you're running SoundLife with me and also an A&R Manager at Position Music. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Mike</strong>: It’s crazy, right? I’ve done music my whole life. When it was time to start looking at colleges, there was only one I was considering, which was Berklee. My family didn't have a lot of money, so I did the World Scholarship Tour and was fortunate to get a pretty decent scholarship. On my first night in the dorms is where you and I met, and we jammed on some jazz standards. Our friendship started then. Throughout Berklee, we were in bands and did gigs all over town. </p>
<p>When I graduated, I moved to LA, and together we started auditioning and doing professional gigs. We worked a lot together, and then after a couple of years had gone by of us both living the musician's life, I know we both started thinking, “What more is there?” What else is there besides playing gigs and touring? Then I remember I came back from a tour with Selena Gomez, and you were like, “Let's go to Big Wangs and have a meeting, I have an idea.” </p>
<p>And so we sat down, and you showed me the business plan for what eventually became SoundLife, and it was based off of conversations we had when we were still students at Berklee. I had thought about a brick-and-mortar music school, but I hadn't really developed it. And then I went on this tour, and I came back, and you were like, “You know that little nugget of an idea you had? Here's an entire binder of how it can become an actual thing, and it's not a brick-and-mortar school. It's in-home lessons.” Then we got into it, and now, years later, here we are: SoundLife... </p>
<p>Throughout building SoundLife, I had done a lot of touring, but at a point, I had a couple of big tours get cancelled at the last minute for me. So while we were building SoundLife, I stopped touring and actually started working on the business side of music. I was very fortunate to be taken into this company called Position Music as an assistant to the head of Sync Licensing. </p>
<p>At that point, I was a 30-year-old assistant. I knew I had to hustle. So as we're building SoundLife, I'm also working at the assistant job, and in my first year there, I got a band signed and a couple other things going on. Eventually the president of the company and the head of A&R took me out to lunch, and they said, “You have to be in A&R.” And then two and a half years later, I'm still doing it. </p>
<p><strong>For our students who are learning how to play an instrument, it’s important to understand the scope of what is beyond playing on stage. There are all of these other worlds as writers, as engineers, as mixers, in the business on the back side of things, how you promote, market, and share music. That's what we want to shed a light on today. What does it mean to be an A&R Manager? What does A&R mean, and what is your role as an A&R Manager in the sync and licensing world? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: A&R traditionally means Artist and Repertoire. Back in the day, if you were in A&R and Frank Sinatra needed songs, you would literally pair him with a song; because traditionally, there were songwriters and then there were artists. They were separate. You had to get the right songs for the right artists. When bands like The Beatles started coming around doing their own writing, the lines got blurred, and now we have both scenarios fairly equally represented. These days, it is still very much pairing the right music with the right situation. A lot of my job is trying to get writers and producers connected with artists at major labels who are charting. It's also trying to get songs from my producers and writers that they've already written in front of those teams. So if I want to get a song placed with Sia, for example, I first find the song that is perfect for her, and then I try to get it in front of the right people. </p>
<p>There is also the publishing side of this, because Position Music is both a publisher and a record label. At the easiest level, it's dealing with copyright. You have two sides. You have your copyright on the writing side, and you have your copyright on the song side, so there are two different copyrights. As an A&R person, you're trying to bring in more valuable copyright. I have a bunch of writers, and my job is to keep them writing music and creating songs that have value to both me as a publisher and them as a writer. Then on the record label side, I have to get these songs out, promote them, and get them to make money so that the label and the artist also make money. </p>
<p><strong>How do these songs make money? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: Well, it's a good question. It's very difficult these days. There's the traditional way, which is streams and sales, but my company has gotten very good at synchronization, which is what we focus on a lot. Sync licensing is when you put music to picture. When you see that trailer for a new movie coming out and there's a cool rock song in the background, or you see that advertisement for the new Apple product and there's a really cool electronic track in it, those are all agreements between that product and a publisher. They pay the money to have the rights to use that music. The synchronization field within the last 5 to 10 years has blown up because there's so much media now. There's phones that are capturing media, and there's advertising on all these different platforms like Netflix and Hulu, and it's not just traditional broadcast anymore. The Sync industry as a whole is growing in response to the demand, and there's a lot of money out there. It's a multi-million dollar industry. </p>
<p>What's cool in sync is that though there's always gonna be the people that wanna use the big songs by the big artists, at the end of the day; for the most part, it's just the right song. If the song is right, they'll put in the ad or trailer or whatever, so a lot of artists these days are actually breaking through Sync. There's a band called Shaed here at Position, and their song "Trampoline" is in a massive Apple commercial. That commercial broke that band and took them from an independent band to the top of the charts. Artists are breaking through sync because it's such a great platform for discovery. It's a great way to promote yourself as an artist, and also it's a great way to make money. I have artists and producers who are making more money than a lot of major-label artists. As long as you have the right skill set and the right team behind you, you can actually make a really decent living off of just music, and you don't have to have a song on radio. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/910a37a3ca6b5914f2af7cdcb1a0893b92ad59de/original/screen-shot-2020-10-14-at-11-03-51-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Music Publishing " /></p>
<p><strong>How much of A&R is getting writers to write the right thing for a situation versus going out and trying to find the right thing that already exists? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: Good question. It's both. If I'm looking to sign an artist or a band that already has created music on an independent level, I need to sign something that says I think they're syncable. That's how we just generate income and revenue for everyone. So if I'm looking for a band and I'm not working with them creatively, they just have to have the right songs. There are specific sounds, lyrics, and styles that work better to picture than others. If I'm going out to see a band live, and I think to myself, "they have the right tone and the right sound," I will try to sign that band. That's a situation where the music is already created. I also work creatively with a lot of artists and producers where we just start from the ground up. They start demoing songs and send it to me, then I'll give them notes. They are definitely the professionals when it comes to writing and producing, but I know a lot more about sync and what has a better chance of placing. I might suggest we flip a lyric or maybe that a pre-chorus should set up the chorus a little differently. In this way, we are creating together to get a song that will work better in sync for them. </p>
<p><strong>Do you find that writers are often more open or protective about making changes? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: I would say 50/50. It's all about meeting people and understanding what they're looking for in a partner. If I have a first meeting with a band, I can get a vibe pretty quickly as to whether they're down to collaborate or more fixed on “this is my statement.” If they're the latter, then I don't even suggest. I just let them do their thing, and then hopefully it connects. </p>
<p>I think these days, Sync is a lot cooler too. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Sync wasn't cool. It was seen in the industry as selling out. Artists and writers didn’t want to be in that L’Oréal ad because they would be considered lame. However, once the labels started folding during the early 2000s and the value of a master in the market on a traditional level started dipping, meaning physical album sales, labels and artists started looking at other sources of income. They were like, “Okay, how else is my music making money?” That's when Sync started getting really popular. You see statistically throughout the 2000s that the Sync business grew and grew as a way to make money in music. The quality of the music also got better and better because now it’s not just independent artists. You have major artists that want to get their music in trailers and ads as well. Nowadays, it's not considered lame if you are in the Sync world. Everyone is all in. For example, a lot of people come to my company because they want help getting connected, and they want that creative input from our team. They’ll say, “Hey, how can I get more Syncs? Will you work with me?” So I think it's easier these days than it was before to find talent, but in general, it's still half and half. </p>
<p><strong>Many of our students at SoundLife have really focused on writing their own music over the last year, learning how to record things at home, learning how to use the various recording softwares, and then going on to getting their music mix mastered and putting it out in the world. We have students who are ages 12 to 17, much younger than we were when we were getting started, who have an incredible head start. They have their own Spotify, their own Apple Music account. They have their own Instagram profile. They have their own image, some have websites, music videos, and other things like that. How does that person position themselves to be successful, if we think about success as creating art and delivering that to people, and being able to support yourself in that process? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: Back in the day, the record label really handled those things like the websites, marketing strategy, photos, and the creative direction on all things outside of music. “What's the look and what's the story?” Now, there are so many tools at your fingertips as an independent musician or artist that the bar has been raised higher. I work at a label, and we still help with marketing, and we still help many of those other things. But if I'm looking at two artists, and I want to sign both of them, but one has done all this labor for themselves—they started the story or the creative direction, they have things on Spotify, they have an Instagram following and are creating content—it's much easier for me to see their vision and then go, “Okay, I wanna work with them.” Versus traditionally, back in the day, it's like all you need is a demo, and the label can say, “Okay. We'll figure out all the other stuff.” So I think a lot of it is very important to learn these things as early as possible. “How do I demo a song on my own and get it to a good spot where it's going to sound good if someone listens to it?” </p>
<p>I get pitched songs where they're very rough sometimes, and sometimes I can say to myself, “Oh yeah, I know what they're doing. I like it.” But in many cases, the quality of what people are sending in now is so high. A lot of times you get these songs, and it's like they're almost final, but they're still demos. For me, I'm getting so many songs, that the higher quality things I get are the ones I'm going to be more attracted to. Also, I'll be able to clearly hear better what they're trying to do or say in a song. So I think it's very important these days to start that early, like you're saying with our students. Learn how to record yourself. Don’t only learn how to play your instrument and play it well, but think, “How do I record it into my computer? How do I get it out onto Spotify or SoundCloud? How do I promote it outside of that? Do I want to do a little home video for YouTube or a quick 15-second clip for Instagram?” All of those things make a huge difference these days because it really helps give a clear idea of the package to someone on my end, who's looking for it. </p>
<p><strong>So what you’re saying in all of this is that the record business isn’t gone, it’s just evolved? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: Yeah, it's made it possible for anyone to get involved. I'm seeing musicians that we came up with who were just focused on gigging, but who now are becoming artists themselves. They're doing things like branding and music videos. I think it's just the next evolutionary step. If you want to just tour and play gigs, that's all you want to do, it’s totally cool. But if you really want to grow something outside for yourself, you have to think of all the other things involved with it. </p>
<p><strong>We always talk about empowering kids with tools to be successful in life, that's the whole inspiration behind SoundLife, and I feel this takes it to another level. Now, as musicians, we get to be creative with our image, we get to be creative with how we present ourselves, with our story. We get to be creative with where and how we share our music and our audience. How does a student who's thinking about things this way position themselves to get noticed by someone like you? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: The very first thing I consider is the songs. They have to work. It has to resonate with me. I first listen, and then if it's something I'm interested in, I'll start clicking around and looking more into it. So the very first essential thing is the music, the song writing, the performance of it. Beyond that, it's all the other sonic things like drum sounds, vocal sounds, and production—things like that. Also, how did they get it to me, and have they taken the time to really develop themselves? </p>
<p><strong>Last question: how did your music education position you to be able to communicate and work with these musicians, writers, producers, and artists? </strong></p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: A lot. Actually, I think that's what helped me move into and grow pretty quickly at my company. A&Rs are not typically musicians with that type of vocabulary. They more often came up in the business side, legal side, or management side of the industry. These people know music obviously, and they know how to communicate it, but I know how to communicate it on an actual note level. I find a lot of the producers I work with are very appreciative of that because typically the joke is always like, “Oh man, the label says the song should be more blue or it's not happy enough.” It's so vague. What does someone mean by that? I can say, “Go to a flat VI cord, it's too moody, keep it at a flat VII to I and leave it unresolved on IV, or whatever the case may be. Then the producer would be like, “Oh my God, it's so helpful.” It saves a lot of time. I think that's helped me move a little bit quicker into my role just because I was able to quickly and efficiently talk with my producers and writers without being vague. </p>
<p><strong>That's perfect. Alright, so everybody who's heard this out there, get your stuff together, start now and never stop, and every little thing matters. Thank you, Mike.</strong> </p>
<p><strong>M</strong>: Thank you.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Michael Torres is an A&R Manager at <a contents="Position Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.positionmusic.com/" target="_blank">Position Music</a>. He also serves as the Community Outreach & Business Development Manager at <a contents="SoundLife Music Academy" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">SoundLife Music Academy</a>, of which he is also a Founding Partner. </p>
<p>Connect with Michael Torres in all your favorite places! </p>
<p><a contents="Website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.positionmusic.com/">L</a><a contents="Linkedin&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-torres-0a9911a8/">inkedin </a></p>
<p><a contents="Ampeg" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ampeg.com/artists/michael-torres/">Ampeg</a></p>
<hr><p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64430762020-10-28T15:08:35-07:002020-10-30T22:27:39-07:00Presentation Tips for Musicians & Artists <p>So you're a musician...Fantastic! Now how do you get people to actually<em> notice</em>?</p>
<p>You would think that all of the music lessons, band practices, and hours and hours of individual practice would be enough. That’s blood, sweat, and tears right there! These skills we possess as musicians are coveted. They're valuable assets. To go out and make a living as an artist or performer, isn’t that enough? I’m both elated and somewhat sorry to say that “No!” it isn’t enough. Not by a long shot. But don't despair—read on!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/783b20bae0a189e85be9eae27d04cc7b2e2c4bd5/original/screen-shot-2020-09-24-at-3-21-37-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Better Call Saul" /></p>
<p>Have you ever driven down the highway and seen billboards for lawyers, dentists, surgeons, etc.? These are individuals who have an extensive and expensive education. Yet, after all of their hard work, they still have to “present”—or rather, “market”—themselves. Sometimes it may seem gimmicky, like the law office that specializes in getting rid of tickets, or the dentist that promises the pure white smile. In reality, great thought went into what niche these professionals would focus on and how they would get their message out to the world. </p>
<p>The same rules that apply to other professions also apply to musicians. While it may appear like Keith Richards just rolls out of bed looking like the textbook rock star, you might be shocked to hear that he actually curated that look with care. In fact, he did such a great job that "Keith Richards in sweat pants" is a completely different person than "Keith Richards in leather pants or torn-up jeans." The chains, rings, tattoos, necklaces, wrist bands, open shirt, fitted jackets—along with the carefree attitude—are all part of the look. In practice, he and the lawyer on the billboard are the same. (Though, I agree, Keith Richards is definitely cooler.) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/63202a924c3c0aefee1f02b5aa6f4fd289bd8af5/original/screen-shot-2020-09-24-at-3-22-53-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Keith Richards" /></p>
<p>As musicians, we too have to carefully and creatively consider how we want to deliver our message to the world. How do we want to be perceived? Where do we want to be found? Who is our audience? What is our specialty? What is our mission, and how do we live up to it? These are essential questions that all musicians should be considering, but especially anyone who has aspirations of being an artist. </p>
<p>Now, before we get carried away here, let’s make one thing crystal clear: Everything should be a genuine representation of<em> you</em>. Though it may take them a minute, people can see right through fake...and it never feels quite right to be wearing the wrong size shoes.</p>
<p>Here are 5 things to consider… </p>
<h4><strong>1. Physical Appearance </strong></h4>
<p>Rock Stars are like Batman. He isn’t really a superhero because he doesn’t have any actual <em>super </em>powers, but he is a superhero because of the choices he makes. He created his alter ego. He chooses to fight crime. He wasn’t born with any special abilities. Like Batman's heroic yet intimidating appearance, physical appearance for musicians is important because people have a tendency to listen with their eyes, but this isn't inherently bad. It just means the music they're hearing has to align with what they are seeing. For me, when I do gigs with <a contents="Air Supply" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.airsupplymusic.com/" target="_blank">Air Supply</a> or any rock band, that means tight jeans, necklaces, bracelets, vest, blazers, leather, etc. When I do gigs for weddings or corporate events, that means black pants, black shirt, and maybe even a tie. If I showed up to either occasion and switched the look, I would quickly be fired. </p>
<p>When thinking about your own image, have fun! This isn’t a “cool” contest. Look at a band like <a contents="Weezer" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://weezer.com/" target="_blank">Weezer</a>. Their look is nerdy, and they made that so cool. Think about <a contents="Nirvana" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.nirvana.com/" target="_blank">Nirvana</a> and <a contents="SoundGarden" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundgardenworld.com/" target="_blank">SoundGarden</a>. Their look was that of the average person, someone who doesn’t really care what anyone thinks. At the time, that was absolutely intentional because it was in opposition to everything everyone else was doing. So, get creative!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a5932895430e059f40909a6131e91e7cfbb7d219/original/screen-shot-2020-09-24-at-3-26-53-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Nirvana" /></p>
<h4><strong>2. Branding </strong></h4>
<p>Yes, as a <a contents="musician" data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons" target="_blank">musician</a>—whether that be a <a contents="songwriter" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank">songwriter</a>, composer, sideman, or <a contents="producer" data-link-label="Recording Program" data-link-type="page" href="/recording-program" target="_blank">producer</a>—you are your own brand. Your brand is the story of <em>you</em> through logos, colors, images, and videos. When branding is done correctly, your audience will know who you are and what to expect or anticipate musically. Music is currently delivered primarily digitally through Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other downloading and streaming platforms. It is then promoted digitally through social media on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok (throwback to the OG music streaming/social media site, Myspace!). </p>
<p>As an artist, it's important to ensure that your branding is consistent across all of these platforms. Your look, colors, logos, and messaging should be uniform. They also need to properly reflect you and your music. If my Instagram page was nothing but pictures of puppies, and then one day I put out a heavy metal song, people would be confused. This doesn’t mean my artist pages can’t have a picture of me and my pup, but if the ultimate goal is to bring attention to my music, I better make sure that's front and center. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a1b8c88bc464a45dfaa45b86757b3a9ce9969453/original/screen-shot-2020-09-24-at-3-30-01-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Band Logos" /></p>
<h4><strong>3. Audience </strong></h4>
<p>First question: who is your audience? Second question: <em>where </em>are they? Is your audience on Instagram or TikTok? Are they in Los Angeles or Singapore? </p>
<p>These questions do have answers. If you are an artist trying to get your music heard, follow the leaders. Go on to social media and follow the artists that inspire you. Watch what hashtags they use, look at the type of content they put up, and study their following. For major artists, you'll notice their branding right away. You’ll notice that all of their content, captions, and overall profiles are uniform. You’ll notice that their posting is typically on a consistent schedule. You will also notice what platform has more engagement. At the end of the day, you want people to hear you, and all of this is to prime your audience so they hear you through the correct lens and become raving fans. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/21507f3711dfb3274ed68451fab713434adcfb98/original/screen-shot-2020-09-24-at-3-31-24-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4>
<strong>4. Engagement </strong> </h4>
<p>What are you going to do to engage with your audience? Putting out original music is important for any artist, but as we all know, songs, EPs, and full-length albums take a big chunk of time. It's important to consider how you're going to engage with your audience to keep them interested in and excited for your music. </p>
<p>Again, find models and study them. If you look at your favorite artists, they are always putting up bite-sized content to engage with their audience. This could be little personal videos, cover songs, professional photos, candid photos or selfies, contests, poetry, snippets of past performances or press, or even just random thoughts. In the beginning, just try things. See what works, keep that, and discard or refine the rest. </p>
<h4><strong>5. Reputation </strong></h4>
<p>Music is like sports. They love you when you're winning, but are quick to forget.<em>This is why reputation is everything in this business.</em> Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your talent is going to carry you to the top and keep you there. That isn’t how anything in life works. We’ve all heard the saying before, “It takes a village.” Make friends, and support those friends. Ask questions. Follow up. Find those individuals who are doing what you want to be doing, and reach out. Be honest. Be real. Be a fan first. </p>
<p>Your reputation is also important when it comes to your audience. The same rules apply. If you say you’re going to deliver something, deliver it. The artist/fan relationship is special. This bond can be lifelong, but only if trust is built and kept. There are no shortcuts to building trust. It takes time and consistency. The best idea is to start now, and never stop. </p>
<h4>
<strong>Summary</strong> </h4>
<p>It may seem like a lot to consider, but when it all comes together, it’s magic. Don’t think too much about the destination. Enjoy the journey. Remember that presentation is a creative aspect of every individual's life, regardless of their profession. It’s something we get to consider each and every day. The only difference is that for artists and musicians, there are no limits. If backwards jeans can be a thing (which they were, I promise you) then anything is possible. You get to be the trend setters, the influencers, the leaders for your audience. </p>
<p>And now for a classic Spider-man quote: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Be good to your fans, and be good to yourself. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64652622020-10-28T14:28:48-07:002020-10-29T22:37:58-07:00November Student of the Month: Hale<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/491265bd72da7bdd36c7ce35541ff56e387d27da/original/screen-shot-2020-10-28-at-2-29-47-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Congratulations to Hale on being selected as our November Student of the Month! </p>
<p>Hale has been studying the guitar with Enrique since the Fall of 2019. In addition to his private lessons, Hale is also a member of the band Pillow Fight. In May of 2020, Pillow Fight contributed to our first-ever Virtual Showcase with stellar performances of <a contents='"Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes and "Come As You Are" by Nirvana.&nbsp;' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/pypTjCEnMKw?t=1784" target="_blank">"Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes and "Come As You Are" by Nirvana. </a></p>
<p>Apart from being a very disciplined football (soccer) player, Hale knows it takes hard work to accomplish his goals in other aspects of life. He has learned songs from AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Børns, Green Day, and others with great joy and has continuously fine-tuned his guitar playing to match his developed ear. He pays great attention to detail, a trait that has enabled him to learn new songs with ease. </p>
<p>Currently Hale is recording his guitar parts for Pillow Fight's rendition of "Electric Love" by Børns! We can't wait to hear it. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64462722020-09-30T11:42:10-07:002020-10-04T14:44:24-07:00October Student of the Month: Zeke<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Congratulations to Zeke on being selected as our October Student of the Month! </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/deea7ff6b0c1028a0d57a3494a8221fd48247127/original/screen-shot-2020-09-30-at-11-31-28-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Zeke has been taking guitar lessons with Chris for nearly a year. During that time he participated in two of our concerts, one of which being our most recent Virtual Showcase. Zeke was already progressing steadily, but then quarantine came. Instead of falling back or loosing any of his momentum, Zeke put the pedal to the floor. </p>
<p>At the beginning of Summer, Zeke requested to learn all of "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the guitar. He didn't want to just learn the few parts everybody knows; he wanted to learn every single guitar part and be able to play it with the recording. Well, we're thrilled to share that he conquered that climb. </p>
<p>Shortly after finishing that masterpiece, Zeke took on another in "Hotel California." Again, he didn't just want to learn the solo; he wanted to learn everything, from the delicate picking in the intro all the way to the very last note. This week, he reached that final note, and he deserves a round of applause for his focus, determination, and ambition. </p>
<p>Zeke also recently acquired a bass guitar, which he will be learning alongside the guitar. With his attitude and work ethic, Zeke is unstoppable.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64351802020-09-29T18:42:48-07:002022-02-28T05:24:58-08:00Chat with Pros: Songwriting Insights from "Dree Mon"<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>- A SoundLife Interview Series - </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Fun and Inspiring Series About the Places Music Can Take You</strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1ce8332c0d10bdce49e76e3a903d34edb9d23215/original/dree-mon-photo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Described as "the sardonic love child between David Bowie and Wonder Woman from the valley," Dree Mon is a singer, dancer, guitarist, and award-winning songwriter. Dree Mon's music and music videos have landed her on the Grammy Awards ballots, and her songwriting has been featured across many media outlets, including network shows (<em>Parenthood</em> and <em>White Collar</em>), commercials for ESPN, streaming platforms like Netflix (<em>High Strung Free Dance</em>) and feature films like <em>No Service</em>, <em>Wingman Inc!</em>, and <em>Love of War</em>. Dree also performs frequently on stages around Southern California, where she brings her unique blend of influences to her live setup. Inspired by such artists as Gwen Stefani, Stevie Wonder, and Jamiroquai, Dree Mon’s music is a blend of modern production and classic funk elements. Her music has earned her many accolades, such as an award from the Indie Music Channel, the RAWard's (Producer Choice), the LA Critic Awards (Best Music Video), and a Temecula Valley Music Award. </p>
<p>I first met Dree in October of 2011 when we played one of the most memorable shows of my life together. At the time, Dree could not accompany herself on guitar, so she hired me to play a private Halloween party. To this day, I cannot forget showing up for sound check alongside a lion trainer and his lion who were setting up right next to us. We did the whole show with this fully grown lion just sitting there calmly next to his trainer. After that show, Dree and I continued to play together for years and years. Somewhere around 2013, Dree started taking <a contents="guitar lessons" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons">guitar lessons</a> from me, and after a few years, she was accompanying herself at her gigs. Dree is a true artist. She has fought hard to develop her sound and image. Her mission is to create fun dance music with thought-provoking and deeply personal lyrics. Beyond learning to play guitar, Dree has learned how to produce her own music and her own music videos, all while developing an incredible support network of fans, musicians, and other songwriters. </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="GzlYNMjYfM4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/GzlYNMjYfM4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GzlYNMjYfM4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><strong>Chris: First thing, I would love to just give everybody some insight into your story, how you went from wanting to be involved in music to really making it your life and creating a space in music that's your own. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Dree:</strong> I started as a dancer, and I was dancing for other singers and for other musicians, and I just loved seeing what they were doing. All along I had my own little private moments with music, writing songs for myself, and being part of musical theater productions as a dancer, or maybe I'd sing in the ensemble or something. I always loved it, and I always wanted to do more, but I didn't know how to do it. I didn't know what the first thing was about it. I didn't have any training at all. </p>
<p>And so I really just started with a declaration, and this might sound funny, but I just started with a declaration that I'm going to do this, I'm going to be in music, I'm gonna be a songwriter, I'm gonna be a performer in music. And with that, I set forth to taking the songs that I was writing and letting other people hear them, getting feedback and starting the collaboration process with other folks that were playing guitar, that were playing piano, that were already pretty good at writing, and we started doing shows together. That was really just the beginning of it all. Times were different then than they are now, of course. Everything is kind of online at this moment, so that was then, but that really carried me forth. Through that I did tons of collaborations, I did tons of songwriting, I got some music on TV and film, I performed at many venues, I definitely did the 10,000 hours. That just kind of led me to other little paths in music, and here I am still doing it. So it's been about 10 years, I'd say. </p>
<p><strong>That's amazing. So you touched on some incredibly important points. One, declaring for yourself, I'm going to do this. I don't know how...I don't know where I'm gonna land, but I'm going to do it. And then the second step being the importance of community in all of this and finding like-minded people. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> Community is everything. I honestly do not think I could do this by myself. Sometimes you might feel like you're by yourself because that's the nature of humanity, and sometimes we have those moments. But you need community, and you need to get involved; and if you don't feel like you're involved, you need to insert yourself in a way that you can be involved. So for me, going out, meeting other musicians, asking musicians, “Do you know other people?”, just kinda getting that pipeline going, going to shows, etc. Now that we're online, you can go to online shows. There's tons of shows online that are happening, and you could be a part of those—that's a great place to meet musicians and collaborators. Joining groups, joining conferences, joining courses. I've learned a ton from the conferences I've gone to. I've been to the Durango Songwriters Expo, the songwriting festival ASCAP experience, and several others, countless others. I always meet so many people, and they become like this community, and they're really supportive because everybody is trying to do the same thing. </p>
<p><strong>Well, that's also an important lesson—you're saying to be a fan first. Sometimes people like to use the word <em>contact</em>, but contacts really don’t get us anywhere; friends, friendships, relationships, the supportive kind of exchange is where we really start to build that system that supports us long term. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> Yes, yes, definitely. I try...It's just, I think in my nature to do it (be supportive), and I enjoy it. I feel like...you get what you give. I love that. </p>
<p><strong>Exactly. Now, let’s go all the way back to the beginning. Was there a person or a moment or an artist that just connected with you, and about how old were you?</strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> Well, it's so funny, so... When I was a teenager, that's kind of when it all started. I was already dancing, so I was already listening to the latest music and the coolest music, because dance teachers are really like the curators. They were like the Spotify playlist curators of those days. And so I'm very thankful to them. But I had a couple of things happen. When I was a teenager, I was hit by a car. I had to take time off of dancing, and I did obviously get back to it, but during that time, I had a lot of thoughts and feelings and I was just writing, putting pen to paper. It was very cathartic, and things were coming out really easily. I was loving it, and it kind of became a newfound passion of mine. After that, I was just a really huge fan of artists like Gwen Stefani and someone like her. She was very similar in the sense that she carved out her own brand, and she has her own persona and kind of came from the ground up as well. So yeah, so she was hugely inspiring to me.</p>
<p><strong>How long from that period of time until now where you really know songwriting is where you belong? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> It took me a long time. </p>
<p><strong>Everybody knows what they hear on the radio or see music videos, but it's just so much more to it than that. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> There is, and I think between life and trying this and trying that, our paths are not linear. But my advice to people is if they know that they enjoy something, to go for it, like, as soon as possible because why wait? Do it, and don't wait. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e67488004203045f571983413fe0df39199d1efc/original/dree-mon-photo-2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>So at this point in your career, you do quite a variety of things—you're writing, you have your own music, you're also co-writing with people, you're doing some sync things as well. But then on top of that, you are also a performer, and you've cultivated this ability to do long sets of music that embody a variety of different styles and interpretations. So one question is: in all of that, what is your favorite aspect of music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> I think in all honesty, and I've asked myself this question so many times, I think it is performing. It's always the first thing that I want to do. I'll put that before anything else, so I know that it's my favorite, for sure.</p>
<p><strong>It’s the same for me, and I've struggled with explaining that. What is it about performing? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D: </strong>I think there's so many things. I mean, just getting into that state of singing and performing, if there's something like that makes you feel whole, it kind of feels like coming home at this point, and I feel very comfortable on the stage. I feel like that's really where I can be the best me. I also really love the reactions of other people. I know when people are happy and they're enjoying it, and there's something really fulfilling and validating, and that's just the honest truth. So I crave that as well. There's an energy exchange that's kind of unexplainable. I know that when I go a period of time without performing, I just miss it. It's just something that's irreplaceable. </p>
<p><strong>What is the best piece of advice that someone has ever given you? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> That's hard. I guess when it comes to your dreams, because dreams are about your mindset, imagine yourself if you were a little kid. And imagine telling yourself, “Okay, these are all the things that you're gonna be able to do and all the things you can do and all the things you're capable of doing.” A lot of times as we grow older, we start to talk down to ourselves, and we start to create our own limits and barriers. If you think of yourself as a little kid, you wouldn't say those things. You wouldn't stop yourself. You wouldn't tell that little kid inside, “You can't do that.” So even as you're growing older, don't lose your inner child. Don't lose your ambition and your drive and your belief that anything can happen. </p>
<p><strong>That's fantastic advice. No limits. And I think that you've embodied that. One of the things that I have always respected and loved the most about you, which I think our students can learn a lot from, is that you have been pretty much fearless achieving the music videos, the sound of your music, and relentless in refining what that sounds like, always raising your own bar. I've always found it to be inspiring that if you don't know something, you go and find out how to do it. You’ve taken guitar lessons, you've taken recording lessons, you've been a part of all of these awesome conferences, and so on. How important has that been in helping you shape what you want your sound to be and who you wanna be? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> It's everything. It's everything. Having mentors is so important. Mentors and teachers and people to guide you and people to run things by, that is huge because you might not know, like you said, you might not know everything, or you're not gonna know everything, so you can defer to people that do know more in certain areas. Without that, I don't think I would be able to do anything. Honestly, that's been everything for me. </p>
<p><strong>So what are you working on right now? What's on your plate right now? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> This moment...well, I just recorded my next single at home, which is fantastic because I was always going to studios and recording. And now I'm at home and can't go to another studio necessarily, so I decided to take the plunge and make sure that I can record my own vocals and that I have the gear and the skills to do that. I'm super excited about how it turned out. The song is amazing, and it's in production, but it's about to get mixed. It's really close. So look out for that. I'm also streaming a ton online, and my favorite platform to stream on right now is Twitch actually, so I'm there at least twice a week. Friday and Sunday at 8 p.m. PT. Those shows have been fantastic, and they're ongoing, and they're a lot of fun. Come and join in, see what's going on, and be a part of it. </p>
<p><strong>That's awesome. So with the coronavirus, which has obviously put us in more of a digital space, what do you think you've gained in terms of this experience, in terms of skills you might not have had? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D:</strong> Definitely everything about virtual streaming. I do know other artists, other independent artists that have been doing virtual shows for a long time, and it wasn't something that I was really comfortable with or interested in. Once Coronavirus hit, I just fully embraced it, and I just went, “Okay, how does this work?” Every platform is a little bit different, some of the settings might be different, and you might desire different gear for different platforms. It's all really like a whole new world, but it's so exciting when you get your sound and your video to be just right the way you want it. You feel so good, and you know people are enjoying it, and again, it's a way to connect with people all over the world. You're not just limited to performing in front of people that live within a 10-mile radius of your live show. You can perform for people in Australia and South Africa, in the UK, and then people in other states. It's just really cool, and the world just gets smaller and smaller, so I think it's amazing. </p>
<p><strong>If you were going to give one piece of advice to young minds, the future generation of rock stars, what advice would you give? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D: </strong>Don't stop being prolific, keep doing. Keep writing, keep creating. The world needs you, the world needs your art. There is a place for you and a place for your art in the world, and we need it, so just keep making it. And don't stop.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong>Dree Mon's music is available on all streaming platforms. Check out her website to find out how you can follow and support her amazing journey.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Connect with Dree Mon in all your favorite places! </strong></em></p>
<p><a contents="Website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dreemonmusic.com" target="_blank">Website</a> <br><a contents="YouTube&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/dreemonmusic" style="" target="_blank">YouTube </a><br><a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/dreemonmusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <br><a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/dreemonmusic" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64335992020-09-29T13:57:44-07:002021-08-09T09:38:12-07:00A Songwriter's Toolkit: Lyrics, Harmony, Melody, & Rhythm <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/263ab0f5f79affe752c896ba52cb5bdb01ec4cda/original/screen-shot-2020-09-14-at-4-44-09-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Songwriting " /></p>
<p>My kids love to read a book called <em>Pajama Time</em>. It’s a silly children’s book that my wife bought from a souvenir shop in the San Diego mountains. The first time we read this goodnight story, I noticed a certain rhythm to the phrases on each page. It was written in a structure that felt more like a song than a typical kid's storybook. After a few bedtimes of just reading the book, I thought to myself: “This must be a song.” I went online and searched for the children’s song called “Pajama Time.” To my surprise (and disappointment), I couldn't find any such song. This is where being a musician really came in handy. I decided I would just write the song myself! After a few hours locked in my studio, I emerged with a very fun 90s hip-hop style children’s song—a future classic, rightfully entitled “Pajama Time.” The song became an instant hit with my biggest fans, and it is now the top request every night. Yes, it's true: I rap to my children on most evenings. </p>
<p>This antidote perfectly describes why songwriting as a skill is not reserved for the aloof, artsy introspective type, no more than it is for the “talented” and “gifted” few. <a contents="Songwriting" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank">Songwriting</a> is something that anyone can take part in no matter where they are in their musical journey. It is a way of looking at the world internally and externally and expressing that perspective with lyrics, chords, melody, and rhythm. Victor Hugo once said, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” A songwriter hears the cries of the world and responds with empathy. A songwriter can give a voice to the voiceless. They can put poetry to melody, creating harmony out of dissonance, and bringing hope, light, or understanding to the most complex issues. Whether a song is about a worldwide event, a political stance, a personal struggle, or a bedtime routine for children, it is still a song. And there are songs for everyone and everything. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8b1356a3fd64c44de5a5696036880a1c0fdc5424/original/screen-shot-2020-09-14-at-4-41-43-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><strong>Lyrics/Story </strong></h4>
<p>Words are often the first piece we think of when attempting to write a song. However, because at this stage there are no chords or structure, the freedom can often be a detriment. For myself, I've found it easier to start with harmony, then add melody, and then lyrics, but I have met many writers who have a different process with extremely successful results. To each their own. We must understand that lyrics are not just poetry set to music. Lyrics must be able to fit into a song structure. This means we’re telling a story in form. A typical song form will include two verses, three choruses, and a bridge. The verses will tell the story, the chorus will summarize the story, and the bridge will often resolve the story. These are not rules to live by—but if you're just starting out on your songwriting journey, these guidelines may help trigger some ideas. </p>
<p><em>Exercise:</em> Write a list of song titles. Think of cool words, phrases, or ideas that might appear on a playlist or on the back of an album cover. Write them all down in your notebook until your brain is empty. Then go back and circle a handful that stand out above the rest. Spend five minutes free-writing on each of the circled titles. Pursue whichever one generates the most inspiration. </p>
<p>Once you have an idea, try to craft your story across a traditional song form. One important note is that a chorus, often referred to as a hook, is the catchiest part of a song. Sometimes this is the best place to start. <strong>Remember, lyrics and melodies can find you anywhere you are, so record your ideas with your phone often and label them well. </strong></p>
<p><em>(Disclaimer: There are many different traditional song forms. For our purposes, we will not be discussing these in this article. <a contents="Check out this article for more info on song forms." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.musical-u.com/learn/anatomy-of-a-song-the-three-most-common-song-forms/" style="" target="_blank">Check out this article for more info on song forms.)</a></em></p>
<h4>
<strong>Harmony</strong> </h4>
<p>Defined as a combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect, Harmony is the foundation on which Melody sits. With that broad definition, Harmony can include chord progressions, guitar riffs, short melodic figures, samples, and much more. </p>
<p>With chord progressions, it helps to know the rules before breaking them. Nearly all western instruments are broken down into half steps. On the guitar, this means moving up or down the neck one fret at a time. On the piano, it means moving to left or right one key at a time. The formula for building a major scale in any key is <strong>Whole Step (two half steps), Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step</strong>. Chords are then built by taking each of these notes and stacking them on top of each other, going every other note of any scale. </p>
<p>I know, I know. “What the heck does that mean?” So let’s say you’ve never played an instrument and you’re sitting at the piano. The middle key is a white key, and it is the letter C. If you follow the formula above, you will get C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. This is easy in this key because there are no sharps or flats, meaning no black keys. If you stack these notes into triads (three-note chords), then you will wind up with the following chords:</p>
<ul> <li>C Major (C/E/G)</li> <li>D Minor (D/F/A)</li> <li>E Minor (E/G/B)</li> <li>F Major (F/A/C)</li> <li>G Major (G/B/D)</li> <li>A Minor (A/C/E)</li> <li>B Diminished (B/D/F)</li>
</ul>
<p>These chords all belong to one family and will sound good together in any combination. </p>
<p><em>Exercise: </em>Let’s create a chord progression! Decide on a harmonic rhythm (number of chords per measure), and then let’s decide on which chords to use. In the beginning, it’s easy to just say, “I don’t know,” but the beauty is that you don’t have to know. You can’t go wrong. C Major to D Minor? Excellent! D Minor to G Major? Still excellent! If you are a beginner and wish to really hear your chords fully, try this awesome app called <a contents="Tonally" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ultimate-circle-of-fifths/id1242467844" target="_blank">Tonally</a>, which allows you to hear chord progressions in different keys.</p>
<p>Let's not forget about the almighty riff! A riff is a short idea in a song that is repeated over and over, and it is typically a recognizable part of the song above and beyond the lyrics or melody. Some examples of famous riffs would include “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, or “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne. A great riff can easily be the backbone of an entire song! </p>
<p><em>Exercise:</em> Write your own classic riff following these three simple rules… </p>
<ol> <li>Keep it short and simple enough that you can repeat the idea exactly the same way over and over again. </li> <li>Give it a distinct memorable rhythm. </li> <li>Use a combination of long and short notes </li>
</ol>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c9778bd95da86d141d7a277be0241bb5e7566fa9/original/screen-shot-2020-09-14-at-4-43-23-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4>
<strong>Melody </strong> </h4>
<p>Defined as a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying, Melody sits on top of the Harmony. Melody is what we most often get stuck in our head, and therefore it is important to make the distinction between “random” and “sequential” groupings of notes. Melody is a combination of notes and rhythms that fit over a particular set of chords or tonality. Melody cannot, by definition, be random. This is where our lyrics are put to song. So how do we get started? </p>
<p><em>Exercise</em>: Let’s stay in the key of C and use the notes we outlined above, which are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. If we play these notes one at a time and look for patterns, we will quickly begin to discover Melody. The simplest of all melodies might fall into your hands almost immediately. E, D, C, D, EEE is “Mary Had A Little Lamb.” Remember to keep it simple, and if you created a chord progression earlier, try to sing what you have over the chords to see if it fits. Make any necessary adjustments. </p>
<h4>
<strong>Rhythm</strong> </h4>
<p>Rhythm is the glue that hold everything together. What does "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" sound like without the rhythm? Try it. Try singing this song without the rhythm. It’s unrecognizable. Lyrics need melody, and melody needs rhythm. If you are rapping, and there is no moving melody, then all you have to rely on is rhythm, making it that much more important. Chord progressions need a rhythmic pattern. Riffs need a rhythmic pattern. Every idea that we add to our song needs to have a clear, identifiable rhythm. </p>
<p><em>Exercise: </em>Create a few sets of rhythmic patterns by combining simple rhythms, such as quarter and eighth notes. Before touching an instrument, try clapping these rhythms. If you are not yet aware of what these terms mean, then just feel this internally. Clap a pattern, and try to duplicate it. Then make it longer, and try to duplicate that. Once you have a pattern you love, record it on your phone, and go on to the next. After you have a few done, start applying these to your song. You can apply these rhythms to chord progressions or melodies. </p>
<h4><strong>Conclusion </strong></h4>
<p>One of my favorite quotes of all time is: “You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.” This little gem comes from Zig Ziglar. It can be applied to almost anything, but it certainly applies to songwriting. In my years of teaching, I’ve found the thing that prevents people from writing more than anything else is their own fear of not being good enough. This is a common fear we all share together. The sooner we face this, the better off we will be. In the beginning, you have to remember that you do not have anything to compare what you’re doing. There is no bad or good. There is nothing. And when you write your first lyrics or your first chord progression, it actually is the best thing you’ve ever written. What’s even more exciting is that it will only get better and better. Only when you’ve written a generous amount can you begin to be an authority on your own material. </p>
<p><em>Another note: </em>Listen! Listen often, and listen actively to as much music as possible. Listen to the types of songs you want to write, and let them inspire you. This is research. If you sit and let music wash over you, it will translate to your head, hands, and most importantly, your heart. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64363112020-09-21T14:51:13-07:002020-12-03T10:24:49-08:00Student Artist Profile: Nick Palmer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/89536051c9d52961b3fee3c921f8188fa9b5a8c9/original/nick-pamer.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm thrilled to be doing a <em>SoundLife Student Artist Profile</em> on Nick Palmer, a talented singer-songwriter and a member of one of our favorite SoundLife bands, "TBD". With TBD, Nick has been involved in our Band Coaching program for several years. He started out playing piano in the band, then added singing, then the guitar, and before long, he added original music to the mix. From the moment I first met Nick, I was impressed with his musical knowledge, specifically of songs—he can, in fact, play and sing any Billy Joel song from nearly the entire catalog.</p>
<p>In the last year, Nick has really honed his writing and home production skills. At the age of 17, he took on the challenge of releasing his own original music under his own name. I personally find this to be immensely inspiring, as it takes a tremendous amount of work and courage for that kind of undertaking! Now Nick is gearing up to release his very first EP, which we'll talk about in our interview. The first single from the EP is an epic dance pop track called “Feel Something”, mixed by <a contents="Hugo Vera" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hugoveras.com/" target="_blank">Hugo Vera</a>. It is absolutely worth a listen. When I first heard it, I was blown away by the track! This song, created and recorded in Nick’s bedroom, is radio ready.</p>
<p>In addition to his solo musical pursuits, Nick’s band TBD is also writing and recording an EP of original music that they all wrote and recorded together remotely during quarantine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chris: How long have you been playing music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Nick:</strong> I've been playing music since I was four years old. That's when I started taking piano lessons. I took those for 10 years. Then I first picked up the guitar when I was seven. It was a cheap toy; the strings were made out of plastic. I think the whole thing was 15 bucks. I started playing because my brother started getting lessons, and I just wanted to be like him. And so we started taking lessons together, and then my first guitar that I ever bought was a 1962 Grech Stratocaster. And it was the one that George Harrison played on The Sullivans. It's not the actual one, but it's a replica. And so yeah, I still have that one. </p>
<p><strong>Did you find that piano lessons helped you navigate the guitar? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Absolutely, because one of the first things I was taught was how chords are formed and chord progressions, and that totally helps when you're playing guitar. I feel like it's a lot easier if you start learning music theory at four years old, even basic music theory—it totally translates. </p>
<p><strong>Did you feel like those tools, learning to read and learning music theory, help you as a songwriter? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>For sure. But it’s also just listening to a lot of music because nothing is ever totally original. You always get ideas from other places, and so if you have a basic knowledge of music theory combined with listening to a lot of music, you can sort of bridge that gap, and it's a lot easier to write stuff, I think. </p>
<p><strong>What inspired you to take just playing an instrument and channel that into being creative in writing original music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Well, the first song I wrote, I was eight years old on that same plastic guitar. It was called the "Owl Eyes," and it's about a 10-second song. I actually remember the lyrics… “With my owl eyes I can see. With my owl eyes I can fly. With my owl eyes I can do anything.” So that was the whole song over just a G chord the entire time. It sounded terrible, but once I started doing that, I sort of got the bug, and it started developing and developing. </p>
<p><strong>That's awesome. And so now you have released your own original music, and you're getting ready to release an EP, and you've been doing all of this on your own, pretty much playing every instrument...How did you get from owl eyes to that? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> It was definitely a development because as I started getting older, the songs started getting more complex in terms of having multiple instruments. Up until about a year ago, I was making them all on my phone with GarageBand, just sort of tapping along to the drums and playing a MIDI bass. I've never taken drum lessons or bass lessons or anything like that, but everything sort of carries over. That's what I think is really good about GarageBand and Logic is that you can actually use your knowledge of music to create a full picture of a song using instruments you may not have, or may have never played before. </p>
<p><strong>Now at this point, you're writing this music on Logic, so you've moved from GarageBand into Logic ,and you feel pretty comfortable with that? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Yeah, I'm getting a lot more comfortable with Logic, but there is still a lot to learn.. </p>
<p><strong>As a writer, who are some of your biggest inspirations? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Based on the music I make, when I tell people my inspirations, they really think that it's kind of strange. I don't make country music at all, but I think Chris Stapleton is one of the greatest songwriters of the modern day. Not only his voice, but he's a really good story teller. My Dad put me on the Beatles when I was about three years old. So once you have that foundation of listening to the Beatles and the Stones and Elton John and Billy Joel, it's tough to find people who are up to their caliber, because I think they're the basis of what great songwriting is, and they combine great melody with meaningful lyrics. I think you can sort of judge new music through that lens, and that's how I think I found people like Chris Stapleton and people like John Mayer. As well as Chris Martin from Coldplay. Those are definitely some people that I look up to. </p>
<p><strong>I'm surprised you didn't mention the Jonas brothers. </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Oh, yes. Well, here's the thing about the Jonas Brothers...a lot of people don't pay attention to them for great lyricism, and to that extent, I agree, but I think part of the thing that I enjoy about their music is listening to things that just sound good. I think music, most importantly, it has to be enjoyable to listen to. And their production, it’s fantastic. </p>
<p><strong>I think you brought up a really good point. When we talk about a good song... And I get this question a lot. What is a good song? By the definition of the Beatles and Billy Joel, all the way up to Chris Stapleton, I think the consistent thing there is if a song is good, you can put any type of production on it, put it into any era, and it will still hold. </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Yeah, a song doesn't have to be complex to be good, and I think that's something that I started realizing once I started developing music and listening to and watching people like Jacob Collier. He can play in these crazy time signatures and come up with chords that you wouldn't even think would go together, but they do. I think some people fall into the idea that that's what good music is—the more complex it is, the better. But I think that though there is an art to doing that, you can definitely go overboard and sort of lose people along the way. I think a combination of having some complexity, but just making it really enjoyable to listen to, is my goal. </p>
<p><strong>What would you say your goal is with your music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>I just want people to enjoy what they're listening to, because I think as long as they're enjoying it, that's what good music is. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/365a511161eda82dc99b78877f51f40aa9ae969a/original/voice-text-body.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Now tell us about this new project you've been working on, your upcoming EP. Tell us how that came about, and then a little bit about this first single that I just heard, which is amazing. </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> I've had my Spotify up for maybe a couple of months, and I've been releasing songs on SoundCloud, just singles here and there, five of them over the past year. You can hear from the first one to the most recent one I have out, “Surrender,” that there is a big gap in production quality between the first and the last one, and that just shows how much growth there's been. I've sort of gone quiet for the last six months, and I was just writing songs. I wasn't really sure if I was gonna compile them all into one EP or release them all the singles; but over the past, I'd say, couple of months, I made the decision that I have about five songs that I really like, and I think putting them all into one in 18-20-minute record is gonna be the best way to convey them. I feel like they go really well together. </p>
<p><strong>Did you start these songs within this year? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Yeah, I started in about March. I wrote the first one. It's called “Crickets,” and it's sort of a mellow, chilled-out song. But I think that that's where I made the turning point in the quality of my music between “Surrender” and the new batch. </p>
<p><strong>Now, tell us about your song “Feel something.” </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> “Feel Something” is probably the most fun I think I've ever had making a song. That's actually the whole point of the song. It's just fun compacted into three minutes. I'll just put it on in my room, even though I'm listening to the song maybe 100 times and just dance around like an idiot listening to it because I feel like that's a song where it's impossible not to at least bop your head to it. It has that sort of 80s good time going on. </p>
<p><strong>Where do you see music in your life in the future? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> Well, I know I'm going to college, and I don't think I'm going to go anywhere that classically trained people will go to, but I think I'm definitely gonna be working on music in college. I intend to keep releasing songs as long as I enjoy doing it. And I don't think I'll ever stop unless I lose the desire, but I don't think I will anytime soon. </p>
<p><strong>If we broke down music into different arenas, like performance, recording, writing, producing, etc.. What is your favorite? </strong> </p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Nothing could beat performing in front of people. Absolutely nothing. Even when I'm practicing in my room, I feel like I'm performing to the window. That has to be the most enjoyable part because that's when you sort of get to let loose in all the work that you did in production and writing and recording. That’s when all that stuff pays off, in my opinion. </p>
<p><strong>Do you find that when you're performing a song you wrote, it's different than performing someone else’s song? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>I feel like once you perform a song you wrote, it sort of takes off all the navel-gazing that you did while writing and producing it. When you're writing and producing a song, you're thinking “What does this say about me? Do I like this?” But as soon as you play it for other people, it's for them now. I can't do anything about it. It's out there. That's for them to enjoy and interpret how they want. And I think there's sort of a freedom that comes with that. </p>
<p><strong>Okay, so these last five questions need quick rapid fire answers...favorite band? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>It has to be the Beatles </p>
<p><strong>Favorite song? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: "</strong>Pinball Wizard." Elton John’s version. </p>
<p><strong>Favorite instrument? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Guitar. </p>
<p><strong>Favorite song you've ever written? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N:</strong> “Feel something.” For sure. </p>
<p><strong>Favorite concert you've ever been to? </strong></p>
<p><strong>N: </strong>Bruno Mars 24k Magic Tour, at the Forum. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>---</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong>Nick Palmer's music is available on all streaming platforms. Follow Nick on Instagram and Spotify to support his amazing journey. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Connect with Nick Palmer in all your favorite places! </strong></em></p>
<p><a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sdw4tWmLX8nDm3teeBkye?si=iA7PkyRwQQy58I4jFo07Jw" style="">Spotify</a></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><a contents="Apple Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/nick-palmer/1510632707" style="">Apple Music</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><a contents="TikTok&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.tiktok.com/@nickpalmer55">TikTok </a></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.instagram.com/nickpalmer55">Instagram</a> </span></p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our community. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with Student Artists, where they share stories of their personal journeys in music. These interviews aim to give emerging artists a platform to share their art and inspire others. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64238362020-09-03T22:21:09-07:002022-03-16T03:09:46-07:00Chat with Pros: The Jeff & Rhiannon Dueling Pianos Show<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>- A SoundLife Interview Series - </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Fun and Inspiring Series About the Places Music Can Take You</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a3f5c825ae9ebec229d5f2e64e5d9ca5ffe58f98/original/jeffandrhiannon2-dueling-pianos.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Jeff & Rhiannon Dueling Pianos" /></p>
<p>Meet Jeff & Rhiannon, full time couple, full time parents, and full time musicians with a premier Dueling Pianos show. The Jeff & Rhiannon Dueling Pianos Show is one of the most sought-after musical acts in the country today. Their all-request, audience interactive, comedic dueling pianos show is booked by companies like Microsoft, Disney, Amazon, Facebook, NFL, Walmart, and Alaska Airlines for private events year after year. With performances from New York to Los Angeles, and Switzerland to Cancun, their incredibly energetic show is truly an entertainment experience like no other. </p>
<p>I first met Jeff & Rhiannon in 2007 while working for Holland America Cruise Lines as a musician in their Showband. We became fast friends, and years later when they had established themselves as top notch entertainers apart from cruise ships, they asked me to join their live full-band show. Over a decade later, we’re still traveling multiple times a year to some of the most exotic places, making music together and bringing people a night of unforgettable fun. </p>
<p>These are two really great people who’ve carved out a special niche for themselves doing what they love most. They’ve got so much inspiration to share, you’ll definitely want to watch this interview! </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WQS9lGwfEh0" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chris: How did you first get started?</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Rhiannon:</strong> We met performing for Disney cruise lines back in the early 2000s. We were both performing on the same ship. That’s when we met, fell in love, and decided to start working together. </p>
<p><strong>Jeff:</strong> Yea, we formed our business in 2004. Up to that point we had done lots of different kinds of entertainment. We had headlined on a couple of cruise ships, and played in clubs. Rhiannon had done some dancing. But we ultimately decided to start a business with us doing a dueling pianos show for corporate events and private parties around 2004. </p>
<p><strong>R: </strong>The first run we did as a team was for Royal Carribean. Then we made that into a headline act for Holland America Cruise Lines. After a few years we gave the corporate idea a chance and it just exploded. By 2008 we were doing full time corporate events. </p>
<p><strong>Was there an artist, person, or moment that inspired you to become a musician? </strong></p>
<p><strong>R:</strong> For me, it was my Mom. She is a piano teacher. I had no choice. Haha. But it was through my church that I was probably most exposed to music. Then community theater is when it really connected with me and I knew performing was what I wanted to do with my life. </p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> For me, Billy Joel was my god when I was kid. I loved his music. I heard him playing piano and singing and I just knew, I have to do this. And then for me, the other big moment was when I was working for Disney and I walked into a piano bar one night and saw somebody performing live, taking requests, and interacting with people. I remember that moment when I said to myself “I am made for this. This is what I need to be doing.” </p>
<p><strong>So before you knew what you were going to do in music, you knew you were going to be a musician? </strong></p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>I did. Absolutely. It was that moment in my 20s, at the piano bar that I knew there was an avenue for me to do it professionally and make a living. </p>
<p><strong>That’s an important moment. </strong></p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Everybody has their dreams of going to Broadway and singing and doing all of these fantastical careers, which are great, but then a lot of people tend to think there are only a few of those avenues to pursue. For me, as a kid, Broadway was number 1. Fronting a big rock band, writing our own music, was my close 2nd. But seeing that (piano bar) made me realize how many more ways there were to make a career out of music. </p>
<p><strong>What is your favorite aspect of music? </strong></p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>It’s really simple for me. The joy music brings to people and how much it can move someone emotionally. And how much it can create positivity, love, and good vibes. That’s what I love most about music. </p>
<p><strong>R:</strong> My favorite aspect, bar none, is the performance. Whether you're sharing your own music or interpreting someone else’s you are bearing your soul. It is an amazing thing to bear your soul and have people be moved by that, and then give you such positivity back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bb0fd3b42a1bd3e09b79a6dc14a420c81b703b75/original/img-7084-dueling-pianos-photo1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong> In an all request show, are there ever any songs you’re just tired of playing? </strong></p>
<p><strong>R:</strong> You know Chris, I’ll be honest with you. We are never sick of performing a song, and here’s why. When I look at it from the audience’s perspective, even though this may be the one thousandth time I’ve played “Don’t Stop Believin,’” I see them screaming and so excited. How could I not get excited to play that song for them? How could I be sick of that song? </p>
<p><strong>How do you measure a successful performance? </strong></p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>A lot of it has to do with how engaged our audience is. To us a successful show is just that. We don’t get on stage and have the idea that “hey, we’re going to get on stage and it’s time for all of you to watch us.” It’s more like we come on stage and say “what can we do for you? Please be a part of this with us. Request songs. Sing along. Clap. Sometimes dance.” When we can have that return, that is a successful night for us. </p>
<p><strong>Did you have a plan of what you wanted your career to look like, or did it happen piece by piece? </strong></p>
<p><strong>R: </strong>A little bit of both. We had one ultimate goal which was to make a living as entertainers, and then all of the things just kind of fell into place from there. I went from a singer/dance in a cast, to the singer of a rock band, and then to dueling pianos. We both really just grabbed every opportunity that we could and didn’t say no to things that we hadn’t tried. If it failed we just learned from it. </p>
<p><strong>How did you get comfortable expressing yourself on stage? </strong></p>
<p><strong>J:</strong> Time. It’s the amount of time you put it. </p>
<p><strong>R:</strong> You always have to be comfortable with not being perfect. In our world, the audience knows we’re all in this together. To Jeff’s point, to be able to get to the point where you can fly by the seat of your pants takes so much practice. The first time I got on stage my hands were shaking. I don't know how I got through it. The more I did it. The more comfortable I became. The more relaxed I become. The more risks I was willing to take. The more you can get up in front of people the easier it becomes. Just getting up, whether it’s in front of your cat and dog, or 2,500 people, the more you do it, the less nervous you will be. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>It’s also about mentors. I went to someone who was doing what I wanted to be doing and asked him how to do it? He told me to start with 60 songs, the top 60 requests, learn those and come back. </p>
<p><strong>R:</strong> The key is to not be afraid to ask for advice. Talk to people. Find mentors. Strive to improve yourself. </p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>Humility. Kindness and positivity go so far. If you show up with a good attitude and willingness to work, people will want to help. </p>
<p><strong> Tell us about your live streaming dueling pianos show and how that works. </strong></p>
<p><strong>J: </strong>It started back in March of 2020 when we were sidelined due to the pandemic. It’s something that has gotten more and more fun, and more and more viewership as the weeks have gone by. It’s still an all request, interactive show, except these are open to public. Anyone can join in on the fun. We have a dedicated text line so people can text their requests, tell us their name and where they are from. That’s how we engage with the audience. </p>
<p><strong>R:</strong> We’re very active on the chats and love talking with people live throughout the show, so it still has the “anything can happen” energy. It’s been so much fun. As the weeks have gone by we started adding in theme nights as well. We’ve done Beatles night, 80’s night, one-hit wonders, and Broadway. Many of the people who join us have never seen our live show, so it’s been a great way to connect with new people.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong>The Jeff & Rhiannon Dueling Pianos Show is available for corporate events, private parties, and all sorts of live and virtual engagements. Check out their live streaming, all-request dueling pianos show here </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Connect with Jeff & Rhiannon in all your favorite places!</strong></em></p>
<ul> <li><a contents="Website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.noteworthyproductions.com" style="" target="_blank">Website</a></li> <li><a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://bit.ly/duelingpianosyoutube" style="" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li> <li><a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/jeffandrhiannon" style="" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li> <li><a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.instagram.com/awesomeduelingpianos" style="" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p>Interview by Chris Vazquez, Founding Partner of SoundLife Music Academy and a professional session musician in Los Angeles, CA. </p>
<p>At SoundLife Music Academy, we make it our mission to continuously bring valuable, exciting, and helpful information to our students. One of the most valuable things a developing performer can learn is that working in music is so much more than just one single path. This interview is part of our ongoing interview series with professional musicians from all avenues of the music industry, where they share stories of their own personal paths to successful and rewarding careers in music.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64214722020-08-31T16:40:51-07:002023-04-06T09:46:09-07:00Student Of The Month: Amy<p><strong>Congratulations to Amy on being selected as our September Student of the Month! </strong></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1d4561cb942d897bfe899479437329e265bcaf02/original/screen-shot-2020-08-27-at-1-52-20-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" />When approached about her selection as student of the month, her instructor said emphatically said, “Yes! She’s been kicking butt week after week.” </p><p>Amy has been taking guitar lessons with our instructor Enrique for just shy of six months. During that time she has worked incredibly hard to develop her song repertoire, guitar technique, and her vocal style. Amy’s interests cross time and genre, ranging from Mac Demarco to Panic at the Disco to the Beatles. Amy even recently learned “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen with the guitar solo. She has also learned to play and sing classic songs such as “Creep” by Radiohead, “Yesterday” by the Beatles, and “Wonderwall” by Oasis. On her current playlist, she has learned all but one song—seven songs in total in just six months, which is incredible. With each of these songs, Amy has learned her own unique guitar parts and vocal interpretation. Enrique is excited to hear how Amy continues to develop as a budding artist. We're thrilled to give a round of applause and a standing ovation to Amy for her dedication and hard work!</p><p> </p><p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64196782020-08-28T13:52:53-07:002023-04-06T09:47:29-07:00We Are The Champions - A Letter to the Back-to-Schoolers of 2020<p style="text-align:center;"><strong> “We are the champions, my friends. And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end” - Queen </strong></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d0dae3b8163a5bac8edc97dba790df762b4d7538/original/screen-shot-2020-08-28-at-1-45-30-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Queen" /></p><p>A hand clap emoji for the Back-to-Schoolers 2020 edition! You deserve more than a few. You stepped boldly into the unknown and carved a path for all to follow. I know, all the adults think they’re in charge, but you are setting the standard. You are the rebels. The rockers. The revolutionaries. You are...because only you could be. You let go, adapt, and learn quicker. This is your superpower. </p><p>Last year I wrote an article called <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/blog/blog/back-to-school-game-plan" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Back To School Game Plan: Getting The Family Closer &amp; The Goals Clearer">Back-to-School Game Plan: Getting the Family Closer and the Goals Clearer</a>. In summary, this article laid out a simple process for creating clear goals in four areas of life: physical, mental, spiritual, and social. In preparing to write this month’s article, I thought of that process and how much harder creating balanced goals has been over the last six months. Then I thought of you. I thought of your resolve and the example you set. I thought of how it has inspired me, and probably your parents and teachers as well. You embraced many challenges, overcame limitations, and prevailed every day in effectively navigating a world that few could ever have imagined. You’re so modest that you probably didn’t even know. </p><p>Let me break it down for you… </p><h4>1. Physical </h4><p>At a time when team sports were deemed to be unsafe and beaches were closed, you went on walks. You rode bikes. You played golf. You did workouts and team practices online. When beaches and trails opened, you navigated how to safely enjoy them. You wore masks and kept distance. </p><h4>2. Mental </h4><p>When traditional classrooms closed and life moved online, you paved the way for teachers. You learned how to Google Meet and Zoom. You relearned how to learn, and you made sure that educators relearned how to teach. As <a class="no-pjax" href="/music-lessons" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Music Lessons" contents="musicians">musicians</a>, you learned how to write and record songs. You learned how to share music and create together from all parts of the world. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2d6c7c0f0927a4228b4e67fcbba300a7a6726121/original/screen-shot-2020-06-01-at-2-40-19-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><h4>3. Spiritual </h4><p>You took time to reflect. You took breaks. You slept in. You were faced with having everything that you knew turned upside down, and amidst this abrupt detour in your life, you grew stronger. The student that enters today’s classroom is wiser and more equipped to succeed than ever before. </p><h4>4. Social </h4><p>Life told you that you could not see your friends the way you were used to. Not at school and not at home. You couldn’t do the same summer activities or family vacations. This didn’t stop you. Instead of wasting a moment, you seized the day. You connected with friends using video games, social media, video conferencing, outdoor movies, and group walks. You invented one solution after another. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5ba918a89504d808b58a3193712f5067ea9fb0bf/original/screen-shot-2020-06-30-at-6-44-18-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>In a recent lesson during a <a class="no-pjax" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" contents="songwriting session">songwriting session</a>, I heard you call for justice and equality. I read your words and was touched. I felt empathy, and I noticed an awareness far beyond your years. In a time when I needed hope, you restored it. </p><p>Simply put. You inspire me. You inspire us all. I survived and now thrive because I am surrounded by people like you who teach me every day how to be. When I look back at the last six months, I smile thinking about all of the new skills I acquired and then smile again when I realize that if not for you and your winning resolve, I might not have been so fortunate. So I guess, we truly are the champions, my friends.</p><p> </p><p><i>-Chris Vazquez </i></p><p><i>Program Director & Founding Partner </i></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/64015522020-08-04T07:12:20-07:002021-10-02T06:25:03-07:00When the Levee Breaks<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5b2fdb359c9f31ab1e870e962900f0c7cde0764a/original/screen-shot-2020-08-04-at-6-59-22-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>I always loved rock star names like Sting, Slash, and The Edge. I thought, How cool? These people get to just make up a name, a character, and keep their secret identity. Gordon Sumner and Sting. Clark Kent and Superman. As a kid, I would always brainstorm my rock star name. Thor? Atlas? So many choices. The more involved I became in music, the more I became fascinated with its history. How did it become a thing for all of these rockers to go by a name they made up? Well...let’s take a journey back to Harlem, back to Chicago, back to the Delta. </p>
<p>Memphis Minnie, who should receive her own article, is a fascinating artist. She is considered to be the most famous country blues singer of all time. A one-time sidewalk performer, Minnie was discovered at the age of 16 when she toured with the Ringling Bros. Circus from 1916-1920. By the time “When the Levee Breaks” was recorded, she was a seasoned veteran on the Delta blues circuit. The original recording of “<a contents="When the Levee Breaks”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/when-the-levee-breaks-the-best-of-memphis-minnie/379815777" target="_blank">When the Levee Breaks”</a> features country blues singer Kansas James McCoy, who was her husband at the time, playing rhythm guitar and singing the verses. Minnie plays the lead guitar parts. The duo was signed to Columbia Records in 1929. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5362024ea6ceafc64a14528e7df22d2ffc03bcc9/original/screen-shot-2020-08-04-at-6-59-59-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>As the legend goes, Robert Plant had an extensive collection of American Blues records that he studied inside and out, including a number of Memphis Minnie’s, which resulted in Led Zeppelin creating their version for the multi-platinum<a contents=" IV" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/led-zeppelin-iv-remastered/580708175" target="_blank"> IV</a> album. The Led Zeppelin version of this song maintains many of the original lyrics and is credited to the members of the band and to Minnie. </p>
<p>“When the Levee Breaks” is an all-time classic rock anthem, but at its core, it is traditional blues. After what could be considered the greatest drum intro of all time, the song stays close to its roots in both form and expression. Written nearly 100 years ago, “When the Levee Breaks” is a cover song, a reimagining that tells the story of , the most destructive flood in the history of the United States. The story is sad, perhaps too sad to go into great detail, but the damage from this flood affected seven states and displaced more than 325,000 people. This area along the Mississippi River is referred to as the Delta, and this is where Delta Blues was born. Famous artists like Muddy Waters, Leadbelly, Memphis Minnie, and more made their names reflecting life in the South. These are the original rock stars. </p>
<p>"I works on the levee, mama both night and day, I works so hard, to keep the water away." </p>
<p>"I's a mean old levee, cause me to weep and moan, gonna leave my baby, and my happy home." </p>
<p>When the flood waters began to recede in June 1927, these artists no longer had homes to go to or any way to make a living. They joined the Great Migration with over 200,000 African Americans from the region, relocating to cities in the north, including Chicago and New York. </p>
<p>The song references Chicago, saying, “Thinkin' 'bout me baby and my happy home, Going to Chicago, Going to Chicago.” </p>
<p>In Chicago we see blues develop into a new, more uptempo shuffle style we now call Chicago Blues. Artists like Otis Rush, Little Walker, Bo Diddley, and Howlin Wolf laid the groundwork for American Rock n Roll during this period of time. Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Cream, and every other British and American icon from the 50s and 60s idolized Chicago and Delta bluesmen. When reading biographies and watching interviews, the consistent theme is reverence. To really see this in action, watch the concert film <a contents="Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/VihhNoWh1h0">Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll</a>, which showcases a concert celebrating Chuck Berry’s 60th Birthday. Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and more are clearly starstruck in the presence of their idols. </p>
<p>And New York? Well, the Delta Blues and Dixieland Jazz developed into Swing that swept the nation as part of what we now know as the Harlem Renaissance. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Fats Waller became international sensations, making America—specifically New York City—the artistic center of the world. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e57555d2333b23dce1fd498e8b6ce05944db0141/original/screen-shot-2020-08-04-at-7-02-08-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Inside of every big story is a small story. Behind every rock star name is a regular person planning extraordinary things. It is hard to look beyond the story of the moment, but history reminds us that there is always a bigger story being written. In 1927, the headlines reflected devastation from an unprecedented event and the social unrest of people who had had enough. Who would have thought then that the greatest flood in American history would be the catalyst for movements that would eventually bring the world more beauty, freedom, and prosperity than could have been previously imagined? The levee has broken again, but this time it’s not water. We’re once again seeing a flood of change in our society. Hopefully this, too, will be for the better. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/63719162020-06-30T19:20:55-07:002022-04-18T16:36:19-07:00Stompbox: A Guide to Effects Pedals <p>The world of instrument effects can easily be overwhelming. This world is exciting, diverse, and endless...but where do you start? This is the question we often get from <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">SoundLife</a> students. Once someone starts to get comfortable on their instrument, it’s only natural to seek out ways to emulate the various sounds we hear on recordings. The most common of these sounds is what many refer to as “distortion,” but even that is often misunderstood. If you walk into a Guitar Center, things don’t always get any clearer either. More often than not, the “guide” (who is really a salesperson trying to get commission) will recommend something that is either not necessary, not appropriate, or not very good. Truth be told, the world of effects is so vast that it would be hard for anyone who isn’t totally dedicated to this world to know all there is to know. </p>
<p>With that said, we thought it would be nice to provide a beginner's guide to the wild world of effects pedals. Throughout this article, we’ll be referring to the guitar, but everything we talk about could just as easily be applied to any instrument. </p>
<h4><strong>Single Effect vs. Multi-Effects </strong></h4>
<p>There are two types of effects pedals: single effect and multi-effect. As the names imply, a single effect pedal produces one type of effect, while a multi-effect pedal can produce many. Typically, single effect pedals have higher quality sounds because they are only focused on producing one result. Multi-effect pedals can produce tons of different types of effects and combinations of effects. In the past, professional musicians often looked down on multi-effect units, but in today's world with technology progressing at such a rapid pace, there are affordable multi-effect units that sound absolutely amazing. </p>
<p>These units take time to learn, and it’s important to understand each type of effect to really get the best out of them. For this reason, I always suggest that beginners learn the basics of each type of effect first. If you start with understanding your instrument, then your amplifier, and then each type of effect, you’ll quickly learn that you don’t need all that many pedals. A good overdrive and delay pedal can actually cover the requirements for many professional gigs, so this is where we recommend starting. </p>
<p>Recommendations: <a contents="Digitech Element XP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/DigiTech-Element-Guitar-Multi-Effects/dp/B00KVS6XGG" target="_blank">DigiTech Element XP</a> ($200), <a contents="Line 6 HX Stomp&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HXStomp--line-6-hx-stomp-guitar-multi-effects-floor-processor" target="_blank">Line 6 HX Stomp&nbsp;</a> ($600)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6df918eb3386df071980668e3678992508b15146/original/screen-shot-2020-06-30-at-7-12-59-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4><strong>Types of Effects </strong></h4>
<p>There are four main types of effects: modulations, drives/distortions, reverbs, and delays. Most effects we hear in popular music fall into one of these four categories. For example, “chorus” is an effect that's commonly heard in 80s music. It falls in the category of “modulations” because of what it does. “Fuzz” is another effect, but it falls into the category of Drive/Distortions because of what it does. Below, we will break down each one of these categories and provide links to affordable high-quality options. </p>
<h4><strong>Drives/Distortions </strong></h4>
<p>The result of pushing an amplifier's preamp to the point where it begins to clip and distort is called overdrive. The short word for overdrive is “drive.” When overdriving something too much, it distorts. Often people use the words overdrive, drive, gain, and distortion as if they are all the same thing, but for guitarists, they are very different things. Distortion refers to fairly extreme overdrive resulting in a buzzing fuzzy-type of sound, while overdrive refers to a crunchy type of sound. Think AC/DC for overdrive and Metallica for distortion. In this category, we also find compression and fuzz because they're doing a form of the same thing that we just described. </p>
<p>Recommendations: <a contents="Fulltone OCD" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OCD--fulltone-ocd-obsessive-compulsive-drive-pedal" target="_blank">Fulltone OCD</a>, <a contents="Ibanez TS9" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TS9--ibanez-ts9-tube-screamer-overdrive-pedal" target="_blank">Ibanez TS9</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5c90907de4f8cc8a80074ee8d719f3cec8d0393f/original/screen-shot-2020-06-30-at-7-16-01-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4>Delays </h4>
<p>A delay pedal is a stompbox effect that records and plays back any music fed into it. Usually this playback happens in milliseconds. When playback is rapid, a delay pedal produces a “slapback” effect—an instant, snappy reverberation of what was played. With long, extended playback times, delay pedals produce cascading walls of sound—great for creating atmospheric landscapes. A delay pedal is one of the most essential tools in a guitar player's arsenal. It is also one of the least understood. If you are a student eyeing a delay pedal, be sure to talk with your instructor or head over to YouTube for a breakdown of the different types of delay effects. </p>
<p>Recommendations: <a contents="Boss DD8" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DD8--boss-dd-8-digital-delay-pedal" target="_blank">Boss DD8</a>, <a contents="MXR Carbon Copy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CarbonCopy--mxr-m169-carbon-copy-analog-delay-pedal" target="_blank">MXR Carbon Copy</a></p>
<h4>Modulations </h4>
<p>Modulation, in stompbox terms, generally means adding inaudible electronic information to components in the signal path to create audible effects. With this definition, it’s to understand why so many different types of effects fall into this category. Common modulations are chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, wah-wah, and octaver. </p>
<p>Recommendations: <a contents="Dunlop Classic Cry Baby Wah-Wah" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CrybabyClass--dunlop-gcb95f-cry-baby-classic-wah-pedal" target="_blank">Dunlop Classic Cry Baby Wah-Wah</a>, <a contents="MXR Analog Chorus" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AnalogChorus--mxr-m234-analog-chorus-pedal" target="_blank">MXR Analog Chorus</a>, <a contents="Electro Harmonix Pog Nano" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NanoPog--electro-harmonix-nano-pog-polyphonic-octave-generator-pedal" target="_blank">Electro Harmonix Pog Nano</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cd9f825f76e924cae3633c4c008e3ee98cf70041/original/screen-shot-2020-06-30-at-7-14-00-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Wah-Wah" /></p>
<h4>Reverbs </h4>
<p>Reverb occurs when a sound hits any hard surface and reflects back to the listener at varying times and amplitudes to create a complex echo, which carries information about that physical space. Reverb pedals or effects simulate or exaggerate natural reverberations. The best type of reverb is natural reverb from an amplifier. Class amps like the Fender Twin or Fender Deluxe Reverb have excellent reverb built in. Reverb pedals can be great tools, but with reverb, it really comes down to knowing what sound you are after. </p>
<p>Recommendations: Get it from the amp</p>
<h4><strong>What does this all mean? </strong></h4>
<p>While you may be more confused than ever after reading the above, you are now more “in the know” than most people who sell effect pedals, and you can sound pretty darn smart in a conversation with musos. But that’s not what you came for. You came for clarity, confidence, and some direction. Below is a simple three-step guide to getting started with Stompboxes. This should help make diving in painless and make the exploration nothing but fun. </p>
<p><strong>Step 1: Know Your Amp</strong> </p>
<p>Ask your instructor or jump on YouTube, and make sure you know what each dial on your amplifier does. Understand what your amp is capable of and what its limitations are. You may have an effect you want right under your nose. </p>
<p><strong>Step 2: Start with One</strong> </p>
<p>Begin with either one single-effect stompbox or a lower end multi-effects unit like the one recommended above. Do not go spending big money on anything just yet. Learn them inside and out. The first pedal we recommend is a good overdrive. Follow this up with a delay, and then follow that up with a Wah-Wah. </p>
<p><strong>Step 3: Building Your Pedal Board</strong> </p>
<p>Once you have more than one pedal, it’s time to start thinking about a pedal board. We could, and likely will, do an entire article on building a pedal board, but to get started we recommend purchasing a <a contents="PedalTrain Nano" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PTNPLSC--pedaltrain-nano-18-inch-by-5-inch-pedalboard-with-soft-case" target="_blank">PedalTrain Nano</a>. This is an easy and affordable way to begin learning how your pedals work together and how effects, much like colors, mix.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6b24ef384b3eef63bd313470387e06022f078aa2/original/screen-shot-2020-06-30-at-7-14-42-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Pedal Board" /></p>
<p>What's your favorite effects pedal? Let us know in the comments if you have tips or suggestions to share. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/63309232020-06-01T14:29:31-07:002022-05-08T04:45:33-07:00Making a Virtual Concert Experience: Social Connection Through Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6027e2ba345e520e0036796f71fae6e4aa09d5f6/original/untitled-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">As a global pandemic has put the world on hold and darkened the stage lights, the future of music remains bright. On May 30, 2020, SoundLife students showed us that though we are separated by a physical distance, social distance is merely a term that can be overcome through shared tenacity, hope, and passion—the pillars that bind us together. Those barriers that prevent us from physically interacting will not keep us from performing and making music as a community. Thanks to the internet and the magic of technology, we can continue to learn, grow, create, explore, and showcase our talents.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">The idea for this year's <a contents="Virtual Showcase" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pypTjCEnMKw" target="_blank">Virtual Showcase</a> started as a simple concept: to utilize the tools at our disposal—our cell phones and cameras–to create music. Not only did it exceed our expectations, but it also opened new doors for performers and their families to work together. It allowed our student performers to showcase their talents in a new, unique format.</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/93a30e60c570a2f9db6072c932e9181f59d99f34/original/screen-shot-2020-05-26-at-11-48-11-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Over the last three months, we have been having our students at SoundLife submit performance videos of what they are working on in their private lessons and band rehearsals. This was the best way to hear progress without the latency of a video call. As we followed this road, it became clear that as long as a performer could play in time and know all parts to a song, then the band could play on. </p>
<p><span style="color:null;">Naturally, this sparked our curiosity, but we needed to figure out the logistics through trial and error. </span></p>
<h4><span style="color:null;">An Experiment in Virtual Performance Collaboration and Recording</span></h4>
<p><span style="color:null;">The first thing we experimented with was having band members send in their individual parts recorded to a metronome. What started as a good idea ended in abject failure, because we learned that without context, it's difficult for students to give complete performances. We wanted to operate under the idea that no one “needed” to have professional recording equipment. This meant that, essentially, we needed to revert to the days of analog recording when a performer had to do complete takes and editing was much more difficult. </span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">The second thing we introduced was “reference audio,” in which we added a click track to the song with a two-measure count in. This experiment worked, but we discovered that many of the songs the performers were working on were originally recorded before the advent of digital recording. This meant that they weren’t all on the grid. It’s hard to remember back, but so many songs actually vary in tempo. Since the mid 90s, most music is on the grid, and that is what we’re used to hearing. But bands like Blink 182, Weezer, and many more artists that our students cover are not on the grid. <strong> </strong></span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a24b1a1919b9a9956e0bb6cc0b11881b2f9f0ac7/original/screen-shot-2020-05-26-at-11-48-52-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">And finally, the last thing we had to figure out was how to create a template for our students to follow if the original audio reference was not a consistent tempo. The answer ultimately fell on the drummer, so we had them make the initial recording to a fixed tempo. From there, we had the bassist follow suit. Once we had those two foundational instruments, we could make an audio reference for the rest of the band. Shoutout to the drummers in all of our student bands! </span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">Applying what we learned, we were able to outline a process that would work for all of our students with the idea that anyone could participate, no matter their equipment. Keeping all this in mind, we set a date for the concert and started going to work...which is when the fun began.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">We quickly noticed that some performers approached the process like a professional recording session, opting to use their own recording equipment. Others worked with their families to get creative with lighting, backdrops, and outfits. Some students recorded on their cell phones, working through trial and error to find the right placement for the optimal sound and look. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/afd50126073e2753d2f8df0de70d5599383cbc45/original/screen-shot-2020-05-26-at-11-49-57-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<h4>Bringing It All Together</h4>
<p>When we received everyone's video submission, our editor, <a contents="James Mccutchen" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.jamesmccutchenproductions.com/promotional-video/" target="_blank">James McCutchen</a>, <span style="color:null;">took the process to another level. The initial thought was to simply have all the performers on screen for the duration of the song. While cool in concept, it was not nearly as transformative as what James set out to achieve. As each video was completed, it became clear that these were not just performance videos. They were music videos. </span></p>
<p>With James blowing away our expectations, we still needed an audio engineer to complement the look of the videos with the right mix. Our audio engineer, <a contents="Hugo Vera Soleri " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hugoveras.com/home" target="_blank">Hugo Vera</a>, was more than up to the task. On his first submission, he sent a mixed song from cell phone audio that blew us away. The sound was vibrant and beyond anything we imagined possible. With Hugo on the team, we went through and mixed every song to the best of what we could from the submissions. </p>
<h4>Music Transcends</h4>
<p>The end result of the grand experiment was a unique concert experience that we are all truly proud of—something that speaks to the transcendent power of music. Whether it's from the student, parent, teacher, engineer, or editor, everything that went into making this season's concert a reality required a significant commitment from all parties involved, fueled by our shared passion for music. This was time that they would not have given if they didn't believe in it. So what is it that this entire community at SoundLife believes in? It’s music. It’s harmony. It’s melody. It’s what those things have meant to us in our lives, and it’s what we wake up eager to pay forward. </p>
<p>Even though we cannot physically share the same stage, the Class of 2020 students have worked diligently despite the circumstances. They did something that has never been done before. They are pioneers, they are innovators, and they are heroes. Heroes of their story! Watch the <a contents="entire concert here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pypTjCEnMKw" target="_blank">entire concert here</a>. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2d6c7c0f0927a4228b4e67fcbba300a7a6726121/original/screen-shot-2020-06-01-at-2-40-19-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/63005022020-04-30T16:33:50-07:002024-02-11T23:34:10-08:00My Affordable Home Studio Adventure: For Students, Parents, and Professional Musicians<p>Recently I endeavored to finally set up my own home recording studio. For nearly 12 years, I have worked in Los Angeles as a session guitarist, recording guitars on literally hundreds of songs for my own bands and for other artists, but without ever recording anything at my own home. Every time a request came in for a remote guitar session, I would call up a friend who is an engineer and pay him his hourly rate out of my own rate to help me deliver the session. Over the years I developed the skills for tracking guitars, knowing how to create parts, get sounds, and play with and around a click. But...I never developed the engineering skills associated with recording. Within the last few months, my ability to meet with engineers has been severely limited, and as a result, it became apparent that I would need to get things set up at home and learn fast to meet my commitments. </p><p>As with anything I endeavor to do outside of my comfort zone, I sought out the advice of professionals, mainly recording engineers and other guitarists known for doing a lot of work at their own home studio. I took their suggestions and started researching to come up with solutions that fit within my budget. Knowing that many of our students are curious about recording and setting up their own home studio, I thought it would be fun to share my adventure. </p><p>When assembling a home recording studio, there are a few core pieces that every musician needs. These items are described below. Altogether, I was able to set up a home studio that allows me to deliver professional-quality guitar sessions for under $500. </p><h4><i><strong>Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) </strong></i></h4><p>DAW is our recording software. Some of the most popular softwares are Logic, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Fruity Loops, Cubase, Digital Performer, and Reason. In truth, there are more than I could possibly list. The two that are considered industry standard are Logic (Apple) and Pro Tools (Avid). Right now as I write this article, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.apple.com/logic-pro/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Apple is offering Logic Pro for free for 90 days">Apple is offering Logic Pro for free for 90 days</a>. This offer includes the full version of Logic with all plugins (sounds). I myself chose Logic after going back and forth with Pro Tools. I found Logic to be more intuitive for what I needed and ultimately more affordable. Even without the current offer, Logic is only $200, and Pro Tools is a subscription-based software. If you are not a Mac user, Pro Tools is your best option.</p><p>With any of these DAWS, you will need some serious space on your computer hard drive. If you are a Mac user, I recommend downloading <a class="no-pjax" href="https://cleanmymac.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Clean My Mac">Clean My Mac</a> and running it to clear out space. This program will make your computer run like it’s brand new. </p><h4><i><strong>Digital Audio Interface </strong></i></h4><p>The digital audio interface is what you plug your microphone or instrument cable into. This is the machine that captures your audio and translates it to the computer. Like the DAWs, there are countless options when it comes to interfaces. I choose to go with the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlet2i2SG3--focusrite-scarlett-2i2-studio-3rd-gen-recording-bundle" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Scarlett 212 Studio Bundle">Scarlett 212 Studio Bundle</a>. This includes a decent condenser microphone, XLR cable, over-ear headphones, and the Scarlett 212 interface for one very reasonable price. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/15f5623f386c855dcd8ef080a6c25b5daf834b12/original/screen-shot-2020-04-30-at-4-19-17-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="Recording Bundle" /></p><h4><i><strong>Over-Ear Headphones </strong></i></h4><p>Over-ear headphones are a very important item. We need to make sure that our reference audio, whether it be other tracks we’re working with, a click track, or even just the sound of our own instrument, are isolated so they don’t bleed into our microphone. For me, I often need to record acoustic guitars. If the audio was not isolated in my headphones, it would end up on my track. The term "bleed" basically means that we’re hearing things on our track beyond what was intended. </p><h4>
<i><strong>Condenser Microphone</strong></i> </h4><p>A condenser microphone is the most versatile microphone for recording. This microphone can be used to record pretty much any instrument, as well as your voice. The bundle I recommended above includes a fairly inexpensive, but high-quality microphone. I have been using that microphone to record my acoustics, and it sounds fantastic to me. But, mind you, I have been in this part of the game for all of a few weeks. For audiophiles, especially professional recording engineers, the sky is the limit on quality, and these microphones can get very expensive. Along with this microphone, I would suggest purchasing a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Flexible-Gooseneck-Stabilizing-Earamble/dp/B06WVFRW4H/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Pop+filter&qid=1588289043&sr=8-5" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="“pop filter”">“pop filter”</a> and either a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Tripod-Boom-Microphone-Stand/dp/B019NY2PKG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Boom+mic+stand&qid=1588289072&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFSWFRWRkdPTDFYWE8mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0MDAyMTcxME9PRE4zRzZIRjVCJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MzUxNTFRNFA1NFNBOEVNQlomd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="boom mic stand">boom mic stand</a> or <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=sr_1_4?crid=MZ095OCJAUKG&dchild=1&keywords=desk+mount+mic+stand&qid=1588289094&sprefix=desk+mount+mic%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-4" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="desk mount mic stand">desk mount mic stand</a>. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8e8d85b8696c67b7469df243b3d40c325b589f3c/original/screen-shot-2020-04-30-at-4-26-06-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><h4><i><strong>Midi Controller </strong></i></h4><p>A midi control is a keyboard. It is how we record our software instruments, which could be any kind of piano. It could also be bass, drums, strings, etc. I chose to go with the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Performance-Ready-8-Assignable/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2A1O3H70KA4X3&dchild=1&keywords=akai+mpk+mini&qid=1588289148&sprefix=akai+mpkmini%2Caps%2C247&sr=8-1" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Akai MPK mini">Akai MPK mini</a> midi controller, at only $60 (renewed) on Amazon. It's a two-octave controller that also has drum pads, an arpeggiator, and many other fun bells and whistles. With the smaller midi controllers, you can change the octave of the keyboard to hear the full range of a piano. However, this may not be ideal for anyone wanting to actually play parts with two hands for their recordings. In this case, I would suggest getting a larger scale controller as well as a sustain pedal. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3aabde19b6cd293ee0d083c19282d96c8c324f75/original/screen-shot-2020-04-30-at-4-28-02-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><h4>
<i><strong>Studio Monitors</strong></i> </h4><p>Studio Monitors are basically computer speakers with the purpose of providing a clear audio profile of the music being played. Just like the condenser microphone, studio monitors can range widely in price. I choose to go with <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-Eris-E3-5-Professional-Multimedia/dp/B075QVMBT9/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3LDPEHTK9M3B&dchild=1&keywords=presonus+eris+e3.5&qid=1588289274&sprefix=Pre+Sonus+%2Caps%2C244&sr=8-2" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Presonus Eris&nbsp;E3.5">Presonus Eris E3.5</a>. At just $99, these little near field monitors provide excellent sound. If I could go back, I would upgrade to the bluetooth version for an additional $30. This feature has nothing to do with recording, but it would allow me to play the music from my iPhone when I don’t have a dongle handy. Be sure to include <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/SEISMIC-AUDIO-SATRX-6-2-Cables-Balanced/dp/B017C16COC/ref=sr_1_14?dchild=1&keywords=balanced+1%2F4+inch+cables&qid=1588289381&sr=8-14" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="two short balanced ¼ inch cables">two short balanced ¼-inch cables</a>. These do not come with the monitors unless specified. They are necessary to connect the studio monitors to the audio interface. </p><h4>
<i><strong>Getting Your Music Online</strong></i> </h4><p>It just so happens that while I was putting my studio together, I was also working on getting my original band's music back online. After talking with friends who are songwriters and producers, I decided to go with <a class="no-pjax" href="https://distrokid.com" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Distrokid">Distrokid</a>. Their platform is far less expensive than the competition, and the platform is effortless to use. I know many of our students are hoping to share their music online, and this is the easiest way to do it. For $20 a year, they can upload unlimited music, and Distrokid will deliver it right to Apply Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc. Not only that, but they deliver 100% of the profits right back to the user. </p><h4>
<strong>A Home Studio Checklist: </strong> </h4><ul>
<li>DAW (Logic, Pro Tools, Fruity Loops, Etc.) </li>
<li>1 Digital Audio Interface </li>
<li>1 ¼-Inch Instrument Cable </li>
<li>1 Condenser Microphone </li>
<li>1 Pop Filter</li>
<li>1 XLR Cable </li>
<li>1 Mic Stand </li>
<li>1 Midi Control </li>
<li>1 USB Connector </li>
<li>2 Studio Monitors (Left, Right) </li>
<li>2 Balanced ¼-Inch TRS Cables (Less than 6 feet in length) </li>
<li>1 External Hard Drive (Highly Recommended)</li>
</ul><p><strong>Additional Recording Resources:</strong></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://drumhelper.com/guides/recording-drums/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Recording Drums">Recording Drums</a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" contents="Recording Drums" href="https://thedrumninja.com/how-to-record-electronic-drums/" data-link-type="url">How To Record Electronic Drums</a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://porch.com/advice/perfect-home-studio-for-beginners" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Creating A Studio Room For Beginners">Creating A Studio Room For Beginners</a></p><p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/62700062020-04-02T19:06:06-07:002020-10-04T14:30:47-07:00The Rules: A Musician's Survival Guide to Every Gig Disappearing Overnight <p>“It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.” - REM </p>
<p>Has anyone seen the movie <em>Zombieland</em>? It might be a bit too graphic for many of our readers, but I’m sure at least some of the parents and adult readers have come across this movie, which now includes a sequel. The general gist of the movie is that zombies have taken over, but instead of being scared, this team of misfits takes them head on with hilarious style. In the movie, the narrator and main character Columbus, played by Jesse Eisenberg, establishes a list of very specific rules to survive a zombie apocalypse. There are 33 rules in the movie, all of which have thorough practical explanations. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4df48677f8d2851956608fb1f78230104a3ac0ce/original/screen-shot-2020-04-02-at-6-35-16-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>With this in mind, I thought, “What if every gig (tours, weddings, corporate events, local shows) disappeared basically overnight? What would musicians do? Oh wait...that already happened. Well...here are the rules. Better late than never: </p>
<p><strong>1. Fitness </strong></p>
<p>It’s important to stay physically fit. Tony Robbins always says, “motion is emotion.” Simple, I know, but any motion at all helps. I personally like to run. I’m not fast and I can’t run far, but...I have a schedule. I stick to it, and I push myself a little further and harder every time. Whatever the routine might be, keep it at all costs! Right now, <a contents="Down Dog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://downdogapp.com" target="_blank">Down Dog</a> has all of its yoga programs free. Download that app, and get started. There are also hundreds of other workout programs being offered for free right now. Dive in! </p>
<p><strong>2. Podcasts </strong></p>
<p>There are so many amazing music podcasts! These are my top three for musicians. </p>
<ul> <li>
<em>And The Writer Is</em> </li> <li>
<em>Broken Record</em> with Rick Rubin & Malcom Gladwell </li> <li>Dean Del Rey’s <em>Let There Be Talk</em> </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. YouTube</strong> </p>
<p>If you want to know how to do something, chances are five people have done it wrong and one has done it right on YouTube. Start digging! I am personally trying to get my country guitar chops up, so I’m really learning a lot from a channel called...wait for it...<a contents="Country Guitar Chops" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChX80cntvb0yiGehO7yHE-w" target="_blank">Country Guitar Chops</a>. </p>
<p><strong>4. Instagram</strong> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a51f9dd13b2c7b7f4ab888e815457cf2ba974756/original/screen-shot-2020-04-02-at-6-46-05-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Warning: Scrolling can cause isolation and disorientation. With that said, Instagram is currently filled with people genuinely trying to do good right now, bringing people together through whatever service they provide. Songwriters are hosting virtual concerts. Guitarists are doing pedal or amp demos. There is a lot of <em>good</em> happening. <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/soundlifelessons/" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> has partnered with AuSounds to create a free daily music lesson series called <a contents="Lil’ Maestros" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ausounds.com/pages/lil-maestros" target="_blank">Lil’ Maestros</a>. This class will air live every day M-F at 12 p.m. PDT. <a contents="Follow us on Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/soundlifelessons/" target="_blank">Follow us on Instagram</a> for more information. Check us out! </p>
<p><strong>5. Documentaries </strong></p>
<p>Did anyone see the new ZZ Top documentary? Or the Miles Davis documentary? No?!?! Well, there’s no excuse now. Get over to Netflix! </p>
<p><strong>6. Instruction Books </strong></p>
<p>All professional musicians had to put in their 10,000 hours. Those hours came with a mountain of books from teachers which we never threw away and always said, “One day I’ll get back to these.” That day has come. Pull out the old books. Relearn or learn for the first time that which was otherwise never going to be touched again. </p>
<p><strong>7. Your Teacher’s Notes </strong></p>
<p>Apply Rule #6 to all handouts from decades of learning your instrument. </p>
<p><strong>8. Google Drive </strong></p>
<p>How’s that Google Drive looking? Does everything have a nicely labeled folder with the appropriate things inside? Organize those files! It feels so good. </p>
<p><strong>9. Dropbox </strong></p>
<p>Apply Rule #8 to Dropbox. Clear out the older mp3s, and organize all of the relevant charts, song files, and project folders. </p>
<p><strong>10. File Cabinet </strong></p>
<p>Apply Rule #8 & #9 to the trusty old physical file cabinet. Go through each file and throw away the useless papers. Create and label new folders. Organize everything how you like it. </p>
<p><strong>11. Cable Box </strong></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/36ca7922d767a10cfcfa1a112e4bb4e1966fc7d1/original/screen-shot-2020-04-02-at-6-55-25-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>I’m not talking about Spectrum or Comcast. I’m talking about that giant box of jumbled up instrument cables that you keep saying that you’ll go through someday. Half of those cables don’t even work! I’m mostly talking to myself with the rule. We all have a bundle of cables—some sort of work and others don’t work at all. Separate the ones that don’t work from the ones that do and the ones that sort of do. For the ones that sort of work, go on YouTube and learn how to <a contents="solder instrument cables" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE9P67_E5N8" target="_blank">solder instrument cables</a>. </p>
<p><strong>12. Language Barriers </strong></p>
<p>As a musician, the chances of me coming into a situation in which I don’t speak the same language everyone else speaks are pretty high. I know that for me, learning Spanish would be extremely helpful. During this time, I’ve made it a point to stay the course with my Spanish lessons using the <a contents="Pimsleur Method on Audible" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.audible.com/series/Pimsleur-Spanish-Audiobooks/B01BPNLZRW" target="_blank">Pimsleur Method on Audible</a>. </p>
<p><strong>13. Songwriting </strong></p>
<p>There has never been a better time to just sit with your instrument and play for no reason at all, to create and express yourself. I am in no way a songwriter, but I love to write songs for myself, my kids, and my family. </p>
<p><strong>14. Read Books </strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/489368f3c1eb32816a186ef91bc8fd9bf06c17d1/original/screen-shot-2020-04-02-at-6-58-55-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>Old-fashioned paperbacks never go out of style. In no particular order, here are a few books or short readings that heavily influenced me. </p>
<ul> <li><em>Miles, The Autobiography </em></li> <li><em>Life, Keith Richards Biography </em></li> <li><em>Rich Dad, Poor Dad </em></li> <li><em>Start With Why </em></li> <li><em>The Power of Now </em></li> <li><em>As a Many Thinketh </em></li> <li><em>Acres of Diamonds </em></li> <li><em>7 Habits of Highly Effective People </em></li> <li><em>The E-Myth </em></li> <li>
<em>The Autobiography of Ben Franklin</em> </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>15. Read Music </strong></p>
<p>It might sound strange, but reading music is therapeutic to me. I love both sight-reading and working through pieces. My personal favorite things to read are Bach’s Inventions transcribed for guitar and old jazz standard lead sheets. </p>
<p><strong>16. Plan </strong></p>
<p>When life gives you lemons...not having a plan is the same as going on a road trip without a map. There’s nothing inherently wrong with not having a map, so long as you have no definite destination. Take some time, and make a plan. Music isn’t going anywhere, and as musicians, we become most needed when people are scared, worried, lost, etc. We have the superpower to deliver medicine for the soul. </p>
<p><strong>17. Write </strong></p>
<p>Physically writing might one day be a lost art, which is a shame because there’s something that happens between the head, hands, and heart with physically writing that does not happen with typing. Grab a notebook and go. It’s freeing to just sit and let the mind wander. </p>
<p><strong>18. Invent </strong></p>
<p>In 1665, Isaac Newton had to work from home when University of Cambridge temporarily closed due to the Bubonic plague. It was the most productive period of his life, and he used that time to develop his theories on calculus, optics, and gravity. </p>
<p><strong>19. Share </strong></p>
<p>Musicians tend to be specialists by nature. It’s time to document that knowledge and experience and share it with the world, whether it’s on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, your website, or even just a book you one day plan to publish. Get it documented and share it with the world! </p>
<p><strong>20. Give</strong> </p>
<p>Give it out in slices, and it comes back in loafs. There is nothing more powerful than giving. In times of financial uncertainty, we need to turn our attention away from ourselves and just give. Without any thought of something in return, we need to look for people and situations in need, and just serve. </p>
<p><strong>21. Pray </strong></p>
<p>Religion or spirituality aside, prayer is powerful. Call it meditation or reflection, but there is undeniable power in taking time each day to be grateful, to think of others, and focus on what is most important in life. Creating a habit out of this ultimately develops a stronger sense of faith, which help tremendously with rule #20. </p>
<p><strong>22. Look Forward </strong></p>
<p>Think beyond right now, beyond the current situation. What are you going to do when life goes back to “normal?” What do you miss? What don’t you miss? What are you going to change? How? Why? </p>
<p><strong>23. Look Back </strong></p>
<p>A part of rule #21 is taking time to be grateful. Look back on your experiences. Go through old photos, videos, tour badges, albums, etc. Organize them, share them, reflect on them.</p>
<p><strong>24. Don’t Quit </strong></p>
<p>We came this far! We can not, out of fear, turn back now. We all have to adjust, adapt, and be both creative and patient. We have to do what it takes to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. We have to do what it takes to support our family, but we also have to weather the storm and come out stronger on the other side. We must consider this a refining period. It will make us all stronger. </p>
<p><strong>25. Keep Working </strong></p>
<p>We can work without gigs. Musicians can teach. Musicians can record remotely. Musicians can perform online. Musicians have so much to share, and people need it now! Why did we choose music? Why did we risk so much for a chance to do something few ever get the chance to do? Because music is that powerful! Music can deliver the one thing people need now more than ever: hope! </p>
<p><strong>26. Stay Connected </strong></p>
<p>I’ve actually found myself more connected to my friends and family during this time than I have been in years. Why? Because we’re concerned for one another, we’re all in the same boat together, and we’re thinking of each other. It’s sadly something that didn’t happen as often as it should. Video conferencing, phone calls, emails, and text are such amazing tools that we sometimes take for granted. FaceTime parties are actually pretty awesome. Without having somewhere to go and something specific to do, we have to rely on talking. It’s amazing how awesome just talking truly can be! </p>
<p><strong>27. Keep Routines </strong></p>
<p>Just because we’re not leaving the house does not mean we should forego seizing the day. For me, getting showered and dressed is a mental requirement to be productive each day. That may not be the cause for everything, but let’s not let things get out of hand with the pajama party. <a contents="Make your bed and get the day started!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sK3wJAxGfs" target="_blank">Make your bed and get the day started!</a> </p>
<p><strong>28. REH </strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/01c3f80ded248308e7c0112fd8f3b76630b421a8/original/screen-shot-2020-04-02-at-7-03-30-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>Musicians! Do you remember REH? These were instructional VHS videos from the 1990s. We all had them at one point in time. Every famous musician had their own REH video, and collecting/sharing them was part of my education. I have no doubt most or all of these are on YouTube now, but if you have them stashed away, maybe now is a good time to break them out. I admittedly went to Goodwill and bought an old tube TV with a built-in VHS play. Best $20 I spent that week. </p>
<p><strong>29. Highlight Reel </strong></p>
<p>We all have endless hours of video footage sitting on hard drives and scattered about online. This is a perfect time to track that footage down and cut it into the ultimate highlight reel. Every time someone hits me up for a gig and asks for promo material, I scramble. It would be nice to have everything organized and easily accessible to send out. Here we are at rule #29, and I think this one hits home for me more than any of the others. </p>
<p><strong>30. Tour Badges</strong> </p>
<p>Most musicians keep their credentials or tour badges. They become part of a collection and are a testament to all of the places you’ve been, shows you’ve played, artists you’ve played with, etc. So what's the plan with all those tour badges? </p>
<p><strong>31. Fly by Night </strong></p>
<p>We’re so lucky to be isolated in our homes now at this time when we can fly music to one another anywhere in the world. We can still write, record, mix, and master music without leaving the house. </p>
<p><strong>32. YOLO </strong></p>
<p>Now, "you only live once" does not mean go out to the grocery store and make sure you touch everyone and everything in sight. It does mean that for those who have lost all or a large part of their way of life, there is less left to lose. Often in life, when we accept this reality, it’s comforting to know we’re still okay. We’re alive. We’ll persevere. When we face what we fear and come out the other side, a sort of rebirth happens. This new version—call it 2.0—is the same, but that fear is no longer holding you back. </p>
<p><strong>33. Embrace the Moment </strong></p>
<p>This is an unprecedented moment in time. There has never been anything in our lifetime like this. Embrace it wholly. Do not fight what you cannot change and cannot control. That energy can be better spent on Rules 1-32. </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/62314632020-02-28T11:12:19-08:002023-07-13T12:55:00-07:00Teacher Feature: Low-End Fascinations – Blake Estrada<h4>Teacher Feature showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be! </h4><p>Blake Estrada has a serious stare and a fascination with low-end frequencies. His eyes are a window into deep musical understanding. Blake is here and now. He is present and filled with a wealth of knowledge to share, though it may also be true that he sees beyond what most people are capable of. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/91e47aed4dd2c4964fec5e7444da78b100756c00/original/screen-shot-2020-02-28-at-11-10-00-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>Born and raised in greater Los Angeles, Blake is the rare local in a city full of transplants. He began seriously studying the bass at age 17 and attended the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.csun.edu/mike-curb-arts-media-communication/music/jazz-faculty" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Cal State Northridge Jazz Program">Cal State Northridge Jazz Program</a>. This world-renowned jazz program put Blake under the tutelage of jazz greats such as <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.garyfukushima.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Gary Fukushima">Gary Fukushima</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darek_Oleszkiewicz" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Darek Oles">Darek Oles</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.johndaversa.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="John Daversa">John Daversa</a>, and <a class="no-pjax" href="https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/arts-and-culture/csuns-jazz-studies-program-continues-to-capture-the-spotlight-at-home-and-abroad/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Matt Harris">Matt Harris</a>. It was during this time that Blake developed an advanced harmonic understanding of music, arranging, composition, and improvisation. </p><p>Since graduating from CSUN, Blake has spent nearly a decade touring and performing. He is currently a member of the house band at <a class="no-pjax" href="https://rockwell-la.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Rockwell Table &amp; Stage">Rockwell Table & Stage</a> in Los Feliz and at <a class="no-pjax" href="http://harvardandstone.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Harvard &amp; Stone">H</a><a class="no-pjax" href="http://harvardandstone.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Harvard and Stone">arvard and Stone</a> in East Hollywood. Blake is equally fluent on both upright and electric bass. His sight reading is outstanding, which is especially rare considering reading music at a high level is becoming an increasingly difficult tradition to pass down in response to the digital on-demand era. Blake’s skill set allows him to dive into the worlds of composition, arranging, chart writing, and so much more. </p><p> </p><p>Blake is a unique soul filled with history and appreciation for culture and the tradition of music being passed down from generation to generation. This appreciation is a perfect marriage with our mission to educate, inspire, and unite. As a <a class="no-pjax" href="/home" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife">SoundLife</a><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife "> </a>instructor, Blake works with students of all ages. He teaches piano, <a class="no-pjax" href="/bass-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Bass Lessons" contents="bass">bass</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="/guitar-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" contents="beginning guitar">beginning guitar</a>, and <a class="no-pjax" href="/band-coaching" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Band Coaching" contents="band classes">band classes</a>. His passion for music is so deep that his students cannot help but be inspired and motivated.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/62032192020-02-04T09:46:51-08:002021-02-05T15:45:17-08:00Neil Peart: Zen & the Heart of Drumming<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/89c7a084a7f63a9ab81752eaa5e236a9ccddb45e/original/screen-shot-2020-01-29-at-6-21-44-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Neil Peart " />As the news of Neil Peart’s passing spread across the globe via social media, musicians quickly began professing their love and admiration. Members of <a contents="Tool" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/tool-honor-rush-neil-peart/" target="_blank">Tool</a>, <a contents="Foo Fighters" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/foo-fighters-taylor-hawkins-responds-suggestions-join-rush-1858023" target="_blank">Foo Fighters</a>, and countless other bands took time to share how much this man influenced them. For those of us who were captivated by the virtuosity of Rush’s music and Neil Peart’s drumming, this loss was a tremendous blow. It knocked the wind out of our sails knowing we would never be able to experience the music of <a contents="Rush" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rush.com/band/" target="_blank">Rush</a> played by Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson, and Geddy Lee again. </p>
<p>So what did musicians do? In short order, they began organizing tribute shows around the world. In the weeks following the announcement of his passing, there were three tribute concerts for Rush in Los Angeles alone. But, there was one glaring problem—most musicians can only play a handful of Rush’s songs and parts. This was a band of musicians who spurned tradition for “popular” music by creating 20-minute compositions that incorporated complex time signature changes and technical passages that would take a mere mortal countless hours to master. In the end, to make these tribute shows possible, it took an unprecedented amount of passion and respect for Rush’s music. Even then, only the most dedicated and talented musicians could get it done. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3d8f532f7a4af05cc2de0f8ea74e843055ee190c/original/screen-shot-2020-01-29-at-6-22-04-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="2120 Rush Album" /></p>
<p>The first time I heard Neil Peart was in middle school. I was on my own musical journey and loved complex progressive music. The first four <a contents="Metallica" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.metallica.com/">Metallica</a> albums led me to <a contents="Dream Theater" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://dreamtheater.net/" target="_blank">Dream Theater</a>, which in turn led me back to Rush. A friend of mine warned me that Rush’s music wasn’t for the faint of heart and was demanding for the listener. The first side of the album <a contents="2112" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2112_(album)" target="_blank">2112</a> is a 20-minute musical odyssey and represents the first concept album I experienced. For a neophyte navigating the realm of progressive music, the musicianship was unbelievable, especially considering the album predated anything I had listened to up to that point. </p>
<p>Rush is a band of three guys, which makes their music even more impressive. There are no tracks, no auxiliary instruments, and no musicians off-stage. Only three guys dedicated to their craft, pushing the boundaries of sonic possibility. Unto itself, Neil Peart’s drum kit was an orchestra. Iconic and identifiable, over the years he continued to add pieces to bring more color to his sound. Even today, when musicians joke about how big a drummer’s set is, they still refer to Neil Peart. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c8f00da709f4c68507e72080cd5f66827a9ef659/original/screen-shot-2020-01-29-at-6-21-10-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Drum Set" /></p>
<p>Beyond his percussion talents, Neil was the principal lyricist for the band. An avid reader, he consumed three to five books a week, and his literary prowess gave him a unique perspective when setting out to write. Progressive bands traditionally lack deep lyrics, but with Rush, there is a depth to their writing that gives their music a complexity few bands can match. Their songs cover a variety of topics from science fiction to fantasy to philosophy, helping to cement Neil Peart’s status as a mythical rock god. He wasn’t just a drummer. He was a thought leader. </p>
<p>More than music, Neil Peart serves as an inspiration away from the stage. In 1997, Neil Peart’s first daughter tragically died in a car accident. Tragedy struck again ten months later when his common-law wife succumbed to cancer. At the time, the band announced an indefinite hiatus as Neil got on his motorcycle and travelled the entire continent, covering 55,000 miles. He wrote a book, <a contents="Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Rider-Travels-Healing-Road-ebook/dp/B00466HQVA" target="_blank">Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road</a>, and after years of soul searching, Neil found love again and married. He had two children with his second wife, and in 2002, Rush reunited and carried on until physical limitations forced Neil to retire in 2018. </p>
<p>Neil’s story inspires me to see myself in the larger picture as a husband, a father, a son, and a friend. He was a warrior and a student, and he remains an inspiration far beyond his music. His transcendent talent, coupled with his personal resolve, lends itself as an example for any aspiring musician. We’ve lost a lot of rock stars over the past few years, but Neil Peart was greater than that. He was a different breed. You won’t find stories of vices or abuse; instead, he remained a consummate professional throughout his career and an example that <a contents="students" data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons" target="_blank">students</a> should model themselves after. </p>
<p>And as an educator and musician, Neil Peart will continue to serve as a lifelong inspiration.</p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/60619572020-01-05T10:25:17-08:002023-07-13T13:22:24-07:00Concert Review: Performers Shout It Out Loud at Showcase XII <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/eaa2bf15aa49b0cc655aa2d37f162864c7cef525/original/sl-xii.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>It was an hour before showtime, and all through the house, every creature was ready to bring down the house. The stage was set by the instructors with care, in hopes that the performers would soon be there. The performers came in with their instruments to shred, while visions of rocking danced through their head... </p><p>Enough with Christmas! The victory lap of 2019 started on Saturday, December 7 at Showcase XII. Students worked hard and played hard, showcasing their immense growth as writers, singers, instrumentalists, performers, and more. From rock-and-roll to reggae, from funk to jazz, <a class="no-pjax" href="http:///home" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="SoundLife">SoundLife</a> students demonstrated why this ain’t your average music recital. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0dfdfe912c94e511248d8cd80390da1e8a7a8724/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-55-22-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>“This is not a recital. This is a concert,” declared SoundLife Program Director and Co-Founder, <a class="no-pjax" href="/about-us" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="About Us" contents="Chris Vazquez">Chris Vazquez</a>. He continued, “Enjoy this show like you would your favorite band. Celebrate these performers, for today they are no longer students; they are writers, they are bands, they are artists...they are rock stars.” </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/321251049a0206870c513b61f4699cf1ef82a026/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-56-03-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c2c7fa441210c437c4034abdbe2239386bc8b7c8/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-56-13-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c0c041986fa221c04887233b82375370578dfd39/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-56-43-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/47575f03879ba19e57a45d88536be7ba8d603324/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-56-34-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>The show kicked off with a rousing three-song set by Brother, a newly formed band of two sets of brothers (who are not new students of SoundLife). They tore through classics like “Welcome to Paradise” by Green Day and “Dammit” by Blink 182, which featured an impressive drum solo. Each song segued directly into the next, leaving the audience barely able to breathe. Their energy and execution were infectious. The crowd roared as they struck their last chord. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c914e922d6220018f607dd6159b05e6cd4193b25/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-57-36-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>Following these guys is no easy task, but Zeke Greene was up for it. Zeke took the stage alongside a band of professional session musicians to perform “Birthday” by The Beatles. This was his first time performing on stage, and one thing became crystal clear: Zeke is a natural. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5f696b4c44d1b98bc153775887673d41eebc84b4/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-57-45-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>The pace changed as Charles Foster took the stage to perform a short set of songs on the congas. As a percussionist, Charles chose two radically different selections: a latin standard and pop/funk classic. His love for music and charm were endearing. Charles was an inspiring example that music education is for all ages and that it’s never too late to follow a new passion or rediscover an old one. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3ecbe121710aebd37eef37e4031d02a7222fd6ba/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-58-26-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>After Charles, another newcomer followed on vocals: Aidan Disney. Aidan Disney is a young man wise beyond his years. He was quick to address the audience by thanking Charles for sharing different styles of music. His words prompted the crowd to applaud. This level of awareness, humility, empathy, and sensitivity was so wonderful to see in such a young artist. Aidan beautifully sang two 90s classics, “Just Breathe” by Pearl Jam and “Wonderwall” by Oasis with accompaniment by his instructor, Mark. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/9c6150dc75b8f43d4642e24ed8676f2a0c66cccb/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-58-54-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>Following Aidan was yet another first time performer: Laila Gilio. Laila sang and played guitar while Mark continued to provide additional accompaniment. The highlight of her performance was a gorgeous rendition of the Oasis masterpiece, “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6bf395b2604a77eef30b73b0953de6f2b6207cf6/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-59-51-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7dc60220b0adaad29f1a3099af14c609e5007470/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-59-42-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bb738f86777a0448efd9ac9faf8dcba2cd09822e/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-59-17-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/365dc9f74c93a87b808c891221cee55003f35d81/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-9-59-09-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>At this point, the concert took a shift to highlight full bands. The first of these bands was “Hashtag.” Composed entirely of schoolmates, Hashtag are veterans of the stage, and their experience showed. They tore through a three-song set that showcased a high level of musicianship and improved command over the stage. Their guitar solos, tones, and parts were well-arranged, and their singer Leo had a swagger that spoke for his experience. The highlight of their performance was an original composition called “I Don’t Care.” It’s fair to say that their die-hard fans loved to see their growth as artists. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a3c8ca55a2d9447f2b52a3f400a3fd00f8896753/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-00-16-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b8f44facef5ff26d97ef0b010e9d8a88d41102f9/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-00-25-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>Seeing that the back end of the concert program was all bands, the concert curator wisely placed two solo piano selections between bands. First up was Laurel Skaggs performing a quirky and well-put-together version of “Something in the Water” by Brooke Fraser. She sang and accompanied herself with confidence and poise. Laurel was followed by her brother Cormac, who performed a solo classical piano selection. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0f0e46b8ee3a2e2488c0f96fd7e60e13e3be018f/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-01-15-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fd85a346cf497664e0cdd3b14f10a7556a0b3adf/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-01-03-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ce0cab47f0d010780cf0fbd30396b39bcd4c7924/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-01-52-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ca9127e580bd1db8c70491fcb3af829e7b2733ca/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-01-40-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>These two solo performers quickly transformed into rockers as members of the next band, “The Rock Mojis.” This seven-piece band gave the audience one heck of a show. Their four-song set included new hits like “Sucker” by the Jonas Bros, as well as classics like “Shout It Out Loud” by Kiss. Each song segued right into the next with wonderful staging, stage banter, and crowd interaction. By the end of their show, they had the whole room clapping and singing to “Shout It, Shout It, Shout It Out Loud!” </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2ee76b8f2373f42c2f79c262b2937d21f0301d6c/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-02-09-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/178133151f36b43877c9b2ef87388ec186c6e681/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-02-42-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6dd396a334ff67d29c3d08cf0172705a3f69dba7/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-02-22-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>When XPosition took the stage, it was clear that they came to make a statement. This was a band full of veteran performers. In the SoundLife community, they could be considered a supergroup. XPosition was, after all, born out of early SoundLife Jam sessions at Exposition Studios in Los Angeles. These budding artists shared a diverse set that included “Warning” by the Reggae band Pepper, “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift, and “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac. Each song featured different different vocal combinations with band members switching roles and even instruments. The highlight of their show was absolutely the epic ending to Fleetwood Mac’s masterpiece. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fb30b334faffc120af57d96f158dbdf2898b1cf5/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-03-00-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fbde9cae4371e4068fd35ba0978fb285c05bcdf5/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-03-44-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d414c4672c440ec54343d7b196e18605e8936ce3/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-03-35-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>After XPosition, TBD took the stage. As another veteran band of performers, TBD showcased their experience right from the start. Having recently performed a 90-minute set, material was not in short supply. However, their challenge was to present an original show of new music. They met this challenge and brought the audience three fresh, new, original songs that displayed a contemporary vintage sound. Each song displayed thoughtful lyrics, intricately arranged instrumental parts, varying tempos, and a fusion of styles. TBD closed their show with a punk-rock-inspired “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” which sent the audience into an overwhelming frenzy. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b18a06cb6aee6549189862c3c166df05ca5b361e/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-03-55-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e6aff9552a3e681e4f5bdcd3a83be46df0bd465c/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-04-01-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/36c28bd28bdedd000ff94b29230bf5a9d8dec970/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-04-13-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>The finale of the show saw the Cotner Crew taking the stage to shake things up and showcase an entirely different skill set. Cotner Crew is a jazz trio featuring guitar, upright bass, and drums. Small-band jazz combos are challenging, as the instrumentalists are each required to contribute a tremendous amount to the music. These young men did a marvelous job working their way through classic standards, such as “Sonnymoon for Two,” “Blue Bossa,” and even “Cantaloupe Island.” Each of these songs feature different soloists. The improvisation and overall musicianship was at a high level for such young artists. It will be exciting to see them continue to grow and develop. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/75dd5f03c725e9ea70387a30b1b891e22cfc1c02/original/screen-shot-2020-01-05-at-10-04-32-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p>With a runtime of nearly two-and-a-half hours, it was an afternoon jam-packed with outstanding promise and potential. These rock stars deserve every bit of the applause they received. There wasn’t a moment during the entire show that felt like a “recital.” There were no polite claps spaced out between awkward pauses. This was genuine fun produced by real musicians. We can’t wait for the next one! </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.kellyelainephoto.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Photography by Kelly Elaine">Photography by Kelly Elaine</a></p><p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/59793432019-11-26T11:56:14-08:002023-07-13T12:35:57-07:00TEACHER FEATURE: Simply ReMarkable – Mark Catalano <h4><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/339a37c870e1bfc3a7f1effbc70ad9f65344dc41/original/screen-shot-2019-11-22-at-11-20-12-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_right border_" alt="" />Teacher Feature showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be!</h4><p><strong>Mark Catalano</strong> embodies the spirit of what <a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife Music Academy">SoundLife Music Academy</a> is all about. He is a rare breed of musician whose skills and experience are coupled with incredible character, humility, optimism, and a desire to serve. This makes for an impactful mentor to our students and bands. Mark walks the walk and talks the talk. </p><p>Born in Youngstown, Ohio, and raised in the suburban town of Boardman, Mark’s journey to Los Angeles began as a young boy listening to records played by his parents and his older brother. His parents had an old acoustic guitar in the basement that he learned his way around. When Mark was 10 years old, his brother bought a drum set, and the path to musicianship unfolded. Mark started to sing, write lyrics, and come up with band names so he and his brother could play together. </p><p>Mark’s path is one many musicians share. It all starts with that creative spark and the belief that anything is possible. Daydreaming becomes an important part of the job as this vehicle of music begins to open up pathways to the seemingly impossible. Overtime Mark taught himself how to play many instruments and record his band’s own demos. This led to DIY touring, winning battle of the bands competitions and songwriting awards, and recording four albums with his own original band called <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.last.fm/music/Another+Found+Self" data-link-type="url" contents="Another Found Self">Another Found Self</a>. </p><p>Now at age 32, Mark has over 22 years of experience as a recording engineer, <a class="no-pjax" href="/guitar-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" contents="guitarist">guitarist</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="/bass-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Bass Lessons" contents="bassist">bassist</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="/drum-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Drum Lessons" contents="drummer">drummer</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="/voice-lessons" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Voice Lessons" contents="singer">singer</a>, songwriter, and producer. He has released his own solo singer/songwriter music, sold merch at shows, played in cover bands, played in wedding bands, played as a sideman for major label artists, played on radio and TV, worked as a live audio engineer, produced for other artists, and composed music for web series, film, and commercials. He has done all of this while teaching private lesson students and building a strong family life with his wife, daughter, and dog. All of this together is what makes Mark remarkable. </p><p>Today Mark is still learning. He has taught himself piano and ukulele for the last two years and is always learning new recording techniques. The fact that Mark never stops learning is one of the best examples for our students to experience. We’re grateful to share his wealth of knowledge and inspiration with our community, and we look forward to seeing Mark continue to grow, learn, and teach. Mark's original music can be found on all streaming platforms and on his <a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.markcatalanomusic.com" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="website">website</a>.</p><p><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} <br /> /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. <br /> We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style></p><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<p> </p>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><p> </p><p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/59401832019-10-28T16:10:24-07:002021-02-03T15:08:58-08:00Follow the Leader: Student-Led / Teacher-Guided Learning <p>Why do students lose interest in <a contents="music lessons" data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons" target="_blank">music lessons</a>? Often it’s because they never really had “interest” to begin with. In our lessons, the student is the pilot and the instructor is the co-pilot. The instructor holds the map and passes on the directions, but the student picks the destination. It is true that without a map or directions, the odds of anyone getting where they intend to go are slim. It is also true that without a destination, you’re likely not going to start the vehicle. </p>
<p>This is how we teach. Many academic schools are now integrating <a contents="student-led programs" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education_update/dec95/vol37/num09/Student-Directed_Learning.aspx" target="_blank">student-led programs</a>, and studies show profound results when students take responsibility for their learning. We, the instructors, create a partnership with the student, and together we find their goals and achieve them one at a time. The student must lead. The student must be invested in what they are learning. They must have a personal attachment and interest in where they go with their instrument. Otherwise, they will quit, likely long before the true benefits of learning an instrument are realized. Here are five steps, or concepts, for incorporating student-directed learning to keep students on path to receiving the true benefits of learning an instrument.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b821999f27e5141025079d5aac49b9e76601eb99/original/screen-shot-2019-10-26-at-7-20-29-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /> </p>
<h4><strong>1. Interests </strong></h4>
<p>At every first lesson, students are asked to suggest songs they want to learn. Sometimes students have a long list ready to go. Other times they really aren’t yet aware of what they like or dislike. This is where the instructor becomes a guide. The instructor helps the student uncover their interests and find their relationship to music. Maybe it is a movie or a soundtrack? Maybe it’s an artist or a video game? That spark can come from anywhere. Students are encouraged not to think about difficulty, style, or whether their instrument is present in the music. In the beginning, it is just about throwing every idea on the board and then letting the instructor decide on the route to take. These suggestions are placed in our chat system through <a contents="teacher zone" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.teacherzone.com">teacher zone</a>. This way a student knows they always have direct access to communicate new ideas and interests with their teacher. Through song-based learning, supplemented by theory and technique, students gain the academic benefits from music while still having fun and developing something they have an instant relationship with. </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://commoncorediva.wordpress.com/tag/student-led-learning/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/9399d5213ad0d535937361e0aba1585cbb07c4b6/original/screen-shot-2019-10-26-at-7-23-23-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></a></p>
<h4><strong>2. Encouragement </strong></h4>
<p>Every song boils down to three core pieces: harmony, melody, and rhythm. By looking at music this way, we can take any song, no matter the style, and find a student's place in it. For example, many songs on today’s Top 40 don't have live instruments. Does this mean we can't learn them? Absolutely not! We can learn the chords (harmony) and/or the melody on any instrument. We can simplify parts, if needed. We do whatever it takes to find a place for the student at their current skill level in the music. We then teach them their request in a supportive and constructive environment, constantly referencing their progress and commending their determination and courage. In doing this, the student gains a sense of accomplishment and deepens their connection with their instrument. This is how we generate momentum. Motion is emotion, so as a student gains strength and confidence, their belief in themselves and what they are capable of widens. In this way, there is a place and a benefit in music for every person. There is no such thing as someone who can't.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Application </strong></h4>
<p>Learning must have context and application. Students learn how their parts fit by performing along with the music or with a metronome, or both. Why is this so important? Because by performing with the recording, with others, or playing in time with a metronome, we are <em>doing</em>...and <em>doing</em> turns theory into practice. This forces a student to reach notes and chords at specific times, which develops muscle memory and activates the brain. It also teaches song form, which builds their memory capacity. Our teachers coach them toward this and inspire them to continually set the bar higher and higher. </p>
<h4><strong>4. Measurement </strong></h4>
<p>Learning notation, working through method books, using practice timers, and working on scales and techniques with the metronome are all ways in which we measure progress and instill extreme ownership in students. If a student starts on page 1, and next week they have a chance to move all the way to page 5, we have measured their progress by page number. If a student is working with the metronome and playing a passage at 80 bpm, and next week they have the opportunity to move up to 85, this is a measured result. When students finish a book or break through a technique, their ownership becomes visible in their body language and on their face. In short time, they'll approach their instrument with an attitude of “bring it on!” Throughout this process, the student, under the guidance of their instructor, is raising the bar. They are saying, "let's go here" or "I can go faster." </p>
<h4><strong>5. Play </strong></h4>
<p><a contents="Music is a universal language" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theimprovingmusician.com/downloads/how-to-learn-the-language-of-music/">Music is a universal language</a>. Like any language, it must be spoken with others. This means sharing with friends and family in living rooms and on stages. This means joining school bands or forming bands with friends or through outside programs like <a contents="ours" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching">ours</a>. This means encouraging students to express themselves fully and giving them a safe space to do this. At the end of every lesson, there is a period of “play.” For students who are working on improvising, this might mean jamming. It might mean playing through an old song or simply playing a new song as much as possible. In any case, there has to be time to just have fun and let the music do the talking. This is where we speak the language universally with our musical peers and an audience made up of loved ones and community members. Eventually students are encouraged to share their skills on stage. We put on <a contents="Showcases" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases">Showcases</a> to expand the creative space developed in lessons, strengthen a student's confidence, and inspire them by having advanced, intermediate, and beginner students all participate in the event together. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/021d6de73be5e990326e0791f58b00768122e210/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-05-33-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Mentorship in music lessons is guiding students to become confident independent thinkers who happen to have the ability to play a musical instrument. We support their decisions. We respect their voice. We honor our promises to them. We build trust through consistency. Our goal is to instill a personal relationship with their instrument and leave them with an appreciation for musical performance that lasts a lifetime.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} <br /> /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. <br /> We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style></p>
<div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>
<p><!--End mc_embed_signup--></p>
<p> </p>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/59055002019-09-25T16:20:47-07:002020-11-27T17:07:08-08:005 Must-See Comedies for Musicians <p><span class="font_large">Musicians speak their own language...like lawyers, accountants, schoolteachers, and every other profession. Language doesn't just mean quarter notes and treble clefs. The language of music is rich with inside jokes, folklore, and elaborate tales of mythic proportions as well. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Think about this: a student begins learning an instrument and develops good habits of practicing. With practice, anything they strive to do becomes easier. And with this progress comes a sense of accomplishment and pride. Then human nature kicks in, and the student becomes a slave to their good habits. They begin to play their instrument for the rewards it brings, and they naturally seek out albums, movies, documentaries, books, blogs, and anything else that has to do with their newfound passion. This is the process musicians go through all over the world. If the musician persists to the professional level, they will quickly find that every other musician they meet shares a similar experience. Those other musicians often listen to the same records, read the same books, know the same stories, and have seen the same movies. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In the world of <a contents="professional musicians" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us" target="_blank">professional musicians</a>, the following five movies are must-see films. These comedies contain the bulk of inside jokes shared between musicians in rehearsal, in the studio, and on the road. If you are working hard to take your musicianship to the next level, watching these films can count as “practice time,” and you'll impress your music teacher at the next lesson! </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_large"><strong>1. <em><a contents="This Is Spinal Tap&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/this_is_spinal_tap" target="_blank">This Is Spinal Tap</a></em></strong></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/223c1935dec0baf362d2cdeab00f149455a964f4/original/poster-print-entitled-this-is-spinal-tap-1984.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Christopher Guest has developed a cult following for movies like <em>Waiting For Guffman</em> and <em>Best In Show</em>. But the movie that started it all is <em>This Is Spinal Tap</em>, commonly referred to as just <em>Spinal Tap</em>. No other comedy has infiltrated musician culture more than this one. This spoof “Rockumentary” about an aging British rock-n-roll band trying to tour America is filled with timeless one-liners that are repeated by musicians daily. Quotes like “This one goes to 11” are over everyone’s head except for those who have seen the movie. Some version of every situation in the movie happens to musicians throughout their careers. From getting lost backstage to mix-ups with stage props to issues with security at the airport, this movie connects with the musician experience in a deep and hilarious way. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_large"><strong>2. <em><a contents="Airheads" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Airheads-Adam-Sandler/dp/B009ZW8Y34" target="_blank">Airheads</a> </em></strong></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a2d48f35a24a6b59cd01dd58cfc50c96aca9c1a6/original/s-l1600.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Released in 1994, <em>Airheads</em> went mostly unnoticed while it was playing in theaters. Years after its theatrical release, this classic Los Angeles story about the Sunset Strip in the early 1990s and a band willing to do anything to be heard (including breaking into a radio station with squirt guns) found a cult following among musicians. The line that is referred to most often is “Who would win in a wrestling match, Lemmy or God?” Lemmy refers to Lemmy Kilmister, the singer for the band Motorhead. In this scene, the singer for the imaginary band, The Lone Rangers, answers his own question by saying, “Trick question. Lemmy is God.” Lemmy’s music with Motorhead is part of the foundation of heavy metal music, and as such, real fans consider Lemmy a god. Now, this whole exchange makes no sense to anyone outside of fans who know and appreciate this genre and this time period in music history. It is definitely an insider’s movie, but filled with laughs and heart for the whole family to enjoy. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_large"><strong>3. <em><a contents="Walk Hard" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/revisiting-hours-walk-hard-stream-this-movie-771426/" target="_blank">Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story</a> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/614dfa996490dbe214388453c124f672e1fa0add/original/walk-hard-the-dewey-cox-story-images-60d68f19-4e3e-4e8a-b960-b286aa882ef.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></em></strong></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_large">If you want to laugh from the deepest parts of your stomach while also being treated to a music history lesson, then <em>Walk Hard</em> is a must-see movie. This unique comedy featuring John C. Reilly cleverly blends fact and fiction. Walk Hard was created to poke fun at the music biography genre when</span><span class="font_large"> <em>Ray,</em> based on the life of Ray Charles, and <em>Walk the Line</em>, based on the life of Johnny Cash, were both huge hits. The movie is packed with great rock-n-roll history and trivia, but the best moment is seeing Jack Black play Paul McCartney during the Sgt. Peppers era of The Beatles. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_large"><strong>4. <em><a contents="That Thing You Do&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/That-Thing-You-Everett-Scott/dp/B009EE48WY" target="_blank">That Thing You Do</a></em></strong></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a1eee0e264d91e13228189294927a717bd17754b/original/mv5bowvmn2zhzjgtzgezmy00ndkxlwi5ywqtyte2ztk0yziymzc0xkeyxkfqcgdeqxvymtqxnzmzndi-v1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></strong>Of all the movies on this list, <em>That Thing You Do</em> is the most family-friendly and critically acclaimed. Tom Hanks wrote, directed, and starred in this film, so no matter what, that alone should spark everyone's curiosity. <em>That Thing You Do</em> taps into the experience of bands that go from obscurity to stardom in the blink of an eye. It follows a fictional band called The Oneders and their hit song “That Thing You Do.” The story takes place in the 60s and parallels bands of that era, like The Beatles. The cast of this movie is exceptional, and to this day the film has timeless charm and heart. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_large"><strong>5. <em><a contents="Sweet and Lowdown" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-kISlD2rdw" target="_blank">Sweet and Lowdown</a></em></strong><em> </em></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2c45c63dcbc7fcab3966a3e7985f65d4f927e83e/original/mpw-83258.jpeg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Have you ever heard of Emmet Ray, the second greatest guitarist in the world? Woody Allen’s ode to the magic that was the Parisian music scene in the 1930s is a masterpiece for all musicians, especially guitarists. It follows a fictional virtuoso guitarist played by Sean Penn. He is considered to be the second greatest guitarist in the world next to the real-life guitar legend of the era, Django Reinhardt. The story sheds light on an incredible time for music, when “Gypsy Jazz” was taking over the “Hot Clubs” of Paris and musicianship was at an all-time high. As with many other Woody Allen movies, you will laugh, cry, and scratch your head all at the same time. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">One thing all of these movies have in common is that they were box office disasters. Each one of these “classics” lost money in their initial release, but went on to become highly profitable over years of support from avid fans spreading the word. The takeaway from this truth is that movies like this are meant for a very small audience—a specific interest group that will truly appreciate the humor and storytelling. In this case, that specific group is musicians. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">At <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a>, we work hard to give our students a true musician’s experience, especially for those students who take their instrument and their band seriously. These movies are part of that experience. We hope the whole family can gather together with some popcorn, enjoy these classics, and pass on the timeless jokes from generation to generation.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/58774332019-09-01T16:26:24-07:002019-10-02T10:15:11-07:00Back-to-School Game Plan: Getting the Family Closer and the Goals Clearer<p><span class="font_regular">"Welcome back," they say, on that very first day. They say it with a smile and twinkle in their eye. Those teachers...they know. They know something amazing is coming! There’s hope and possibility walking arm in arm. Optimism befriends realism, and together they sit at the table of fantasy to plot the future. Energy is bursting out of every hall, every classroom, every car ride, every practice, and every family dinner. All things are possible. It is another year. It is another chance. It’s new. It’s the fresh slate that we all need. This isn’t just about the next grade or getting a year older. This is about progressively realizing potential, sharpening skill sets, finding purpose, and living our best life. The greatest part: we’re in it together. When September rolls around, we all go back to school. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">So how can we make the most of it? How can we get closer to one another and support one another so we all grow? How do we hold each other accountable and inspire one another? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We believe the best way to get the most out of this amazing time of year is together! To help put this sentiment into action, we created a fun tool. If you click the link, it will download the <a contents="Back To School Game Plan" data-link-label="Back To school Game Plan" data-link-type="file" href="/files/409060/Back%20To%20school%20Game%20Plan" target="_blank">B</a><a contents="ack To School Game Plan" data-link-label="Back To school Game Plan" data-link-type="file" href="/files/409060/Back%20To%20school%20Game%20Plan" target="_blank">ack to School Game Plan</a>. Think of this as something fun to do as a family all together at the dinner table and then to revisit periodically throughout the school year. To be clear, this isn’t just for students in grade school. We’re all students each and every day, and we’re all headed back to school. Parents should participate too, and everyone should be helping one another stay on track. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1301004b3bee1f745a300c8e1d17de4515cafb21/original/screen-shot-2019-09-01-at-4-22-26-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Think & Grow Rich" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="“A Goal Is A Dream With A Deadline” – Napoleon Hill&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331"><span class="font_regular"><strong>“A Goal Is a Dream With a Deadline” – Napoleon Hill </strong></span></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em>1.What are our goals? </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">To get the best results, everyone sitting at the table should write their own goals and share them with one another. Remember results need to be measurable, so be specific with your wording. Set at least one goal in each of the four areas of life. For our purpose, we will use musical goals, but these could obviously translate to something different for everyone. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Physical (Exercise, Technique)</strong></span></p>
<ul> <li><span class="font_regular">I am going to play through my pentatonic scales with 16th notes at 120 BPM. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Spiritual (Reflective, Creative)</strong></span></p>
<ul> <li><span class="font_regular"> I am going to spend five minutes a day just playing my instrument, just for fun, just for me at least five days a week. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Mental (Academic) </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Reading – I am going to memorize the finger patterns for all twelve keys on the piano </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Social (Service, Community)</strong></span></p>
<ul> <li><span class="font_regular"> I am going to join my school band. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7fe87213daa65952f187e17c88ff855897c43c26/original/screen-shot-2019-09-01-at-4-19-35-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Back To School Game Plan" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em>2.When and who should check in? </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Why is it important to have a <a contents="music teacher" data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons" target="_blank">music teacher</a>? Of course we all know you could learn from YouTube, but a teacher, like any coach, checks up on you weekly, knows your strengths and weaknesses, sees what you can’t see, and is dedicated to seeing you reach your goals. <a contents="The BTS Game Plan" data-link-label="Back To school Game Plan" data-link-type="file" href="/files/409060/Back%20To%20school%20Game%20Plan" target="_blank">The BTS Game Plan</a> works in the same way. Think of this as something to talk about in the car rides home, or over dinner. Decide how often you want to check in, and set or write reminders in your personal calendar. Remember, we’re all helping each other here; and because of this, if you have a big family, it can get to be really fun. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em>3. When will we reach our goals? </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The deadline is important, whether we reach the goal or not. The most important thing is that we can track our progress and see what steps we took and what steps we still need to take. Set deadlines as a family, check up on one another, and then pick a day when you will all sit down together to revisit the game plan. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em>4. When will we set new goals? </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">After revisiting, celebrate each other’s accomplishments, energize and encourage, and then, most importantly, walk away for a period of time. This is important because if we don’t take a step away, we can easily loose clarity and appreciation for how far we’ve come. Instead of jumping right back in, set a day in the calendar when you will sit down together and make a new Game Plan. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/87c6bae630d3bd728c488745dabc6f8d8aca987a/original/screen-shot-2019-09-01-at-4-21-43-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Inspirational Quote" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">My family and I will be making our own <a contents="BTS Game Plan" data-link-label="Back To school Game Plan" data-link-type="file" href="/files/409060/Back%20To%20school%20Game%20Plan" target="_blank">BTS Game Plan</a>, and I’ve set the date in my personal calendar of December 7 to revaluate how we did and begin writing an update for everyone. Please share this with any family or friends who may benefit from it, and feel free to share with us any insights, tools, or habits you do as a family that helps keep every one working together.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/58480552019-08-05T11:44:10-07:002023-12-10T10:09:59-08:00TEACHER FEATURE: As Specialist As It Gets – Christa Haxthausen <h4><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7a6c9e0a857d367a385dc02cee989776bdefcd03/original/screen-shot-2019-08-05-at-11-34-12-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" alt="" /><strong>Teacher Feature showcases the incredible journeys and accomplishments of SoundLife mentors that you may or may not be familiar with, but should be!</strong>
</h4><p>While many would settle for just one superhuman skill, Christa Haxthausen breaks the mold. She is a multifaceted artist whose work as a singer/songwriter, pianist, actor, writer, and music educator has taken her all over the country, from Boston to New York and Austin and back...and now Los Angeles. Christa teaches piano, <a class="no-pjax" href="/voice-lessons" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Voice Lessons" contents="voice">voice</a>, and songwriting in-home, online, and in her home studio for SoundLife Music Academy. She joined the <a class="no-pjax" href="/home" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife">SoundLife</a> community in our humble beginnings while she was still packing up her apartment in Manhattan and getting readying for the long drive across the country.</p><p>A self-taught pianist and incurable stubborn individualist, Christa took an unconventional path in her musical training. She did not begin formally studying until she was in high school, but instead learned to play Mozart piano concerti on her own from a young age. Her piano instructor immediately had her audition for the honors program at the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.macphail.org/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="MacPhail Institute of Music">MacPhail Institute of Music</a> in Minneapolis. Christa continued to study piano while she was working toward her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at <a class="no-pjax" href="https://barnard.edu/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Barnard College, Columbia University">Barnard College, Columbia University</a>, and she began dipping her toes into songwriting and vocal studies.</p><p>“Sensible” a degree as Psychology was, her creative bug was not cured. Post-grad work in the entertainment industry carried her to learning the ins and outs of the music and theater industries when she accepted a position at Atlantic Records assisting Broadway musical composer <a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.frankwildhorn.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Frank Wildhorn">Frank Wildhorn</a>. The work inspired her to pursue her own musical path, and she enrolled at <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Berklee College of Music">Berklee College of Music</a> to complete a graduate degree in Voice and Professional Music. </p><p>Christa has performed in cities all over the U.S. While she was in Austin, she jumped into the thriving singer/songwriter scene and discovered an appreciation for rootsy Americana and formed the spanky and eclectic ACE Trio, among other collaborations. Just to keep things fresh and eclectic, she also performed as a National Anthem singer for the Austin Ice Bats professional minor-league hockey team. Currently, she is at work developing new original material with her new band. </p><p>When she’s not playing music, Christa is fervently tending to her other creative bug: acting. For a long time, she felt pressured to choose between music and acting, but she has grown to appreciate having a foot in both worlds and enjoys the unique challenges and opportunities each discipline affords for learning and growing as a well-rounded artist. </p><p>As an actor, Christa has worked and performed on stages and productions in New York, Austin, and Los Angeles and has found steady work as a film and commercial actress. You may have seen her in an ice cream or burger commercial or buying a car or loading up a moving van. Christa has worked alongside such notable actors and directors as the late Sam Shepard, William H. Macy, the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and directors Richard Rodriguez and Richard Linklater. Along with on-camera work, she is a cast member of the sketch comedy company <a class="no-pjax" href="https://tmihollywood.com/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="TMI Hollywood">TMI Hollywood</a>, who enjoy a Sunday residency at the Hudson Theater in Hollywood. </p><p>Arriving at her own musical path in a unique and dynamic way has ironically served Christa's teaching very well. Her relaxed and holistic, yet disciplined approach to lessons as a collaborative process of learning and self-discovery make her very popular with her students, from wee beginners to seasoned pros. She strives towards mentoring her students to work towards their own musical self-sufficiency, which means encouraging them to explore and uncover their own musical voice and style. Christa relishes being a vehicle for this sort of self-discovery, never ceasing to be amazed and inspired by her students’ untapped talents, creativity, and individuality. She truly embodies the SoundLife mission to educate, inspire, and unite, and we feel so fortunate to share her experience and passion with our wonderful community.</p><p> </p><p> </p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/58093672019-06-30T11:23:36-07:002020-10-19T20:25:00-07:00Concert Review: Stars Are Born As SoundLife Takes Over Zebulon <p><span class="font_large">“I will persist until I succeed,” said Chris Vazquez, <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="About Us" data-link-type="page" href="/about-us">SoundLife</a> Program Director, in his opening remarks at the 2019 SoundLife Summer <a contents="Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases">Showcase</a>. The quotation, which comes from the late Og Mandino set the tone for an afternoon of incredible performances from performers of all ages, skill levels, and musical interests. It was that idea of persistence and tenacity combined with discipline and inspiration that was on fully-display throughout the show. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Taking the courageous first steps onto the stage was pianist/vocalist and songwriter Noami B. who performed one of her original compositions called “Angel Or Devil.” This haunting piece captivated an audience not quite sure what to expect. Naomi’s delivery came across as both genuine and vulnerable, maintaining a sense of honesty throughout. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bde13eadcaf4ed12fcb3e36b062578ceec2547fd/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-11-13-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Piano Lessons" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Following Naomi, Laurel S. took her turn sitting at the piano and singing one of her own original compositions which showcased her tremendous growth as a performer and writer. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a6da1b890e79159f2a8d49cd28965f75f5fc8a0b/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-10-39-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">She was followed on stage by her brother Cormac S. who sat down for a short solo piece much in the vain a traditional music recital. He executed his piece wonderfully, and smiled from ear to ear upon completion. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e5a128447fb62d0e6dcaf9e783260c0bb63ca9ad/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-10-20-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">After the first three performances the focus transitioned over to percussion equipment that was already preset on the stage left. The next set of performers were Grandfather and Grandson, Charles F. and Nick M. Both Charles and Nick have been studying congas together with different SoundLife instructors for the last several years. Their lessons are something that brings them together and seeing how far they have come since their stage debut nearly a year before was touching. Nick and Charles first performed a piece featuring Nick, and then Charles, Nick’s Grandfather stayed on stage for two classics, the latin standard “Wave” and soul classic “Heatwave.” </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c50a9a68dc2e0091a5dadc660b032c4c6a45a8fd/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-10-02-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The time had come for the first <a contents="band" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching">band</a> to take the stage and they certainly set the tone for all of the bands to follow. Four members of the seven piece “Rock Mojis” eagerly ran up to their instruments and got in place. The three female leads stood off stage. Each member clearly knew their steps and looked ready to put on a show. The intro to AC/DC’s classic “You Shook Me All Night Long” rang out in the room and the band was off to the races. The three girls ran on stage and put on quite the show with choreography and tons of movement. The band even had their own matching shirts which their individual emojis on the front. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/81201def7ba0122aab5bb3d42d9bc954c4d95116/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-09-19-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">After three songs it was time for “Hashtag” to take the stage. The five piece had a diverse set ranging from the Punk Rock Anthem “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones to the broadway esque “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. All of the band members had clearly improved from past performances. In the middle of their set Hashtag performed an ode to summer “Island In The Sun” by Weezer with SoundLife staff. It was a perfect homage to all of the hard work students had done both in and out of school, and to the much deserved summer fun that lay ahead. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ea8fc65f27fe2a98511c21608afc97daf9ac962d/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-09-05-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Next up was the newly formed “X-Position,” a six piece band that came together through SoundLife’s monthly <a contents="“JAMS.”" data-link-label="JAMS" data-link-type="page" href="/jams">“JAMS.”</a> These superstars worked through five songs together and then capped off their performers with “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin featuring SoundLife instructor <a contents="Mark Catalano" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons">Mark Catalano</a>. Their setlist ranged from up tempo classics like “Surrender” by Cheap Trick to new anthems like “Who Knew” by Pink. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/53d57c4fe25ca587c90eae8cc259d4945b591e4f/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-06-24-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">With each band the performers on stage were just a little bit older and more experienced. Following X-Position two high school age students took to the stage alongside three instructors to perform the epic Metallica classic “Master Of Puppets.” This was a highlight of the afternoon. The lead guitarist, Babe U., tore through each of the guitar solos and brought the audience to their feat. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/021d6de73be5e990326e0791f58b00768122e210/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-05-33-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">After six minutes of heavy metal madness, it was time for a change of pace. Up next was Upright Bass student Chris L. Chris performed with two instructors as a jazz trio. Together they played through two jazz standards. One of these standards was the Charlie Parker classic “Confirmation” which features a difficult melody rarely played on the upright bass. Chris executed those advanced passages like a true pro. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/89cfee69212bb2db66dce4ffb5ac1142b9003cbb/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-04-24-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Up next was Sophie G., a brilliant budding guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. Sophie silenced the audience with two wonderfully interpreted covers and two beautiful and soulful original songs. She performed half of her set solo, and the other half with instructors Mark and Mike on drums and electric bass. The audience leapt out of their chairs with applause when she took her final bow. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/baf0183ecb7f4cae5bda92cf0698ff6d8d11ce8a/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-03-44-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">As the afternoon drew to a close the last band, TBD, took their places on stage. TBD is a four piece band featuring stunning three part harmonies. The front three members of the band each sang lead on different songs. They opened with Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Know” and closed with “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. Both of these classics featured wonderful harmonies impressively executed. The highlight of their set was certainly the duet “Shallow” from the motion picture “<a contents="A Star Is Born”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.etonline.com/how-a-star-is-born-affected-both-bradley-cooper-and-lady-gagas-relationships-126894">A Star Is Born”</a> featuring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ecaf72b0cc70f67f596b7396e9f7798ac07888af/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-02-46-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Thirty songs and nearly thirty performers took to the stage. This was a magical afternoon. Inspiration was in the air. From young students to older students to instructors and parents, everyone felt a sense of togetherness and hope. As valet scrambled to move cars, and students squeezed together for one final picture, summer seemed to officially begin. Students became performers that day, and to everyone who was there to witness, those performers became stars. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/aaf1d7a75845339a5051852a2fe513d97baa8380/original/screen-shot-2019-06-30-at-11-01-47-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Thank you to all of the wonderful performers, families, and friends that made this Showcase such a special memory!</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/57629612019-05-30T13:07:25-07:002022-03-29T08:41:32-07:00Dressed to Kill: Rock & Roll Clothing for Kids<p><span class="font_regular">We really hesitated on the title “Dressed to Kill.” If you are familiar with Kiss, <em>Dressed to Kill</em> is the title of their third album. The album cover shows the band wearing suits while still in full make-up. If you are not familiar with Kiss, then the title may seem a bit extreme. No band better represents the characters that musicians can create on stage than Kiss. Their make-up, space suits, giant boots, and light-up guitars really ensure that no one could ever truly duplicate what they do and everyone will always remember their image. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">This is not to say that getting on stage requires a performer to become someone or something else. Oftentimes, the rock star persona is merely an extension of the person. If we look at Mick Jagger, Stevie Nicks, or Joe Perry on and off stage, they are pretty much one and the same. One of our <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> instructors actually ran into Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top at the airport a few months back, and although his long beard made him instantly recognizable, Billy still needed to put on his shades before allowing a picture. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bd5566ab8691925386bcfe0036322b98d091ba3b/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-2-08-30-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="ZZ Top" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">In honor of our upcoming <a contents="Showcase" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases">Showcase</a> at Zebulon this month, we thought it would be fun to showcase some different fashion for the stage and highlight a few places that specialize in mini person (i.e. kids) sizing. The stage is a wonderful opportunity for students to express themselves fully and have fun, not only through what they play, but also through how they move and what they wear. Here are some classics…</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>ROCKER</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The classic Rock-and-Roll look was defined in the 60s and 70s by bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and Led Zeppelin. No two male musicians embody this look more than Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards. For the ladies, nobody embodies this more than Stevie Nicks. To this very day, these are the examples we look at that define the “rock-and-roll” look. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The best way to put together this look for yourself or your student is to hit up some vintage stores. Los Angeles has one on almost every block. The most notable shops are <a contents="Wasteland" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.shopwasteland.com/" target="_blank">Wasteland</a> and <a contents="Buffalo Exchange" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.buffaloexchange.com/">Buffalo Exchange</a>. For younger kids, we recommend <a contents="Grow Kids Grow" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/grow-kid-grow-los-angeles" target="_blank">Grow Kids Grow</a>. You can even find rock-and-roll items at Target. Items for this look don't need to be expensive. The musicians who made these looks famous did it when they were virtually penniless.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The look always has a base of fitted slim jeans or slacks. Jeans or slacks will also work for girls, but if we’re modeling Stevie, she has always been known for long flowing dresses. Everything on top of the base is creative and funky. This look can combine scarfs, belts, necklaces, bracelets, and bandanas. The style is meant to be fun and certainly something that stands out. </span><br><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6c079c31c9cae2ae4ee77dcc7dbec0b6847f8fca/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-2-04-17-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/964e76dfeb1b37520c1597f38927a372ff36b00e/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-2-04-39-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5fec2dd14fa774cc1e404f5311b58c17398c219c/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-2-05-30-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>GRUNGE</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We’re going to call this next look the “Grunge” style, or the “I Don’t Want You to Know That I Care” look. In the 90s, Nirvana took all of the Glam from the 80s and threw it into a giant trashcan. They came out with jeans, t-shirts, and of course...the flannel. This flannel isn’t necessary, but the jeans and t-shirt look will always be in style. Dave Grohl still wears his classic black tee with jeans when he appears with Foo Fighters. Finding fitted band t-shirts can be tough, but we really like <a contents="Little Rock Store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.littlerockstore.com/kids/rockclothes.html">Little Rock Store</a>. They sell band t-shirts for pretty much any band in any size. Put one of these on with some jeans, and you are good to go. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/95f4be1831dc7a76136ab82ed720d39ad28d960f/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-2-06-56-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span><strong>CHARACTER CREATION</strong></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We’re going to call this last look the “Character Creation.” Some of the best and most enduring examples of this look are Kiss, AC/DC’s Angus Young, Alice Cooper, and David Bowie. These are characters that the artists created just for the stage, and over time they became synonymous with the band or artist. In the case of Angus Young, he wore a school uniform on stage. Alice Cooper put some simple, but effective black makeup around his eyes. And Kiss, well, they went all in. Kids can have a blast creating their on-stage characters. Ideas for this character creation can be found in your own home. We suggest looking through uniforms and old halloween costumes. Have an arts and crafts weekend making something truly cool that no one will ever forget! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/168c791684b7bca1819425d801f6b50645e3d571/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-1-59-58-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Angus Young" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a6a50f5bb63a9e3246b9c28a23005c1582b85886/original/screen-shot-2019-05-21-at-2-07-58-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Now, before we end this article, we do have to make one very important disclaimer: While dressing up for the stage is fun and important, the music still needs to do the talking. Students who don’t practice and ensure that they are prepared will not be confident on stage, and without confidence, it's very difficult to let go and truly have fun. By not preparing, we are essentially preparing to fail. The playing is always the foundation on which everything else is built.</span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/57299442019-04-27T07:29:56-07:002020-11-11T11:18:53-08:00What Is a Session Musician?<p><span class="font_regular">What exactly is a “Session Musician”? Often we hear this term, and it makes us think of the recording studio. However, the truth is that the studio is just a small sliver of what a session musician encompasses. There was a time long ago when groups of studio players could earn a great living just working in the studio. From the 1920s until the 1980s, if you heard something on a record, it was played by a human being. We still study this period of time and cherish the musicians responsible for sonically carving their names in history. But from the 1980s on, music became increasingly more electronic and automated, which has dramatically changed the landscape for musicians. The legacy of those who played on records in the past continues as each song they played is heard and as each modern musician feels inspired to follow in their footsteps. In this article, I will highlight some of the most inspiring session musicians of all time. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Many of us have heard of the “<a contents="The Wrecking Crew," data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wrecking_Crew_(music)" target="_blank">The Wrecking Crew,</a>” a massive community of musicians that ruled the Los Angeles studio scene throughout the 60s. These are the musicians responsible for countless recordings from artists like Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, and so many others. Musicians such as Barney Kessel, Carol Kaye, Glen Campbell, Joe Porcaro, Hal Blaine, and as many as 100 more were considered members of this prestigious group. It is estimated that <a contents="Carol Kaye’s" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.loudersound.com/features/meet-carol-kaye-the-genius-musician-behind-the-worlds-favourite-basslines" target="_blank">Carol Kaye’s</a> bass playing has been heard on more than 10,000 recordings. <a contents="Hal Blaine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://variety.com/2019/music/news/hal-blaine-studio-drummer-dies-at-90-1203160849/" target="_blank">Hal Blaine</a> recently passed away, and it rocked the music world. His influence is heard every single day the world spins. Although most casual listeners don't even know his name, they certainly hear his work everyday. I highly encourage everyone check out the Documentary <em><a contents="“The Wrecking Crew”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.magpictures.com/thewreckingcrew/" target="_blank">The Wrecking Crew</a></em> to learn more. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3721127facb60be2c39fde1fcce3db6078f9f783/original/screen-shot-2019-04-23-at-4-09-42-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Then, of course, there is the infamous “<a contents="Funk Brothers" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funk_Brothers" target="_blank">Funk Brothers</a>” of Detroit that played on every single Motown cut during the Detroit era of the label. Some of the most notable Funk Brothers are James Jamerson, Bob Babbit, and Joe Messina. But, much like the Wrecking Crew, there is a long list of Funk Brothers. These musicians played on more number one singles than Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined. Yes, I said that correctly: <em>combined</em>. To learn more about their story, check out the amazing documentary, <em><a contents="“Standing In The Shadows Of Motown.”&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.standingintheshadowsofmotown.com/" target="_blank">Standing In The Shadows Of Motown</a>.</em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/45ab68083601c2eb5012819eed5f6b4b501e2f68/original/screen-shot-2019-04-23-at-4-10-41-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Down south there was "<a contents="“The Swampers”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-muscle-shoals-rhythm-section-mn0001352027/biography" target="_blank">The Swampers</a>" in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The Swampers were the house band for Rick Hall’s FAME Studios. Unlike the Funk Brothers and The Wrecking Crew, the Swampers had only four core members. They included Barry Beckett (keyboards), Roger Hawkins (drums), David Hood (bass), and Jimmy Johnson (guitar). Their name is actually referenced in the 1974 Lynyrd Skynyrd classic "<a contents="“Sweet Home Alambama.” " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://genius.com/Lynyrd-skynyrd-sweet-home-alabama-lyrics" target="_blank">Sweet Home Alabama</a>". Listen closely, and you'll hear them get a shout out. This group of session musicians played on recordings by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket, Etta James, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, and even Bob Seger. To learn more about the Muscle Shoals scene, check out the <em><a contents="“Muscle Shoals” " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.muscleshoalsthemovie.com/" target="_blank">Muscle Shoals</a></em> documentary available everywhere! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2e96734350798cdeee6004769af25f55d1260d8a/original/screen-shot-2019-04-23-at-4-11-14-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We could never forget “<a contents="Booker T &amp; The MG’s," data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._%26_the_M.G.%27s" target="_blank">Booker T & The MG’s</a>”, the group of musicians responsible for everything that came out of Staxx Records in Memphis. This group of session musicians is my personal favorite. Their guitarist, <a contents="Steve Cropper" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.guitarplayer.com/technique/how-to-play-like-steve-cropper" target="_blank">Steve Cropper</a>, is an encyclopedia of “parts playing." For any student that wants to learn rhythm guitar playing, he’s the guy. Have you ever stopped and listened to the guitar on “(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay”? Well, that’s him. This band can be heard on recordings by Bill Withers, Eddie Floyd, Albert King, Sam and Dave, and the great Otis Reading. They also became a very successful instrumental band with their hit “Green Onions”, which is often featured in movies, commercials, and television shows. To date, there has not been a documentary on their story. If someone wants to put up the money to get that started, <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">SoundLife</a> will happily contribute to the cause! These musicians need to be known and studied for generations to come. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/cbe7b6fb144cfe780ee25d66ae51b40c01ee0fc1/original/screen-shot-2019-04-23-at-4-11-32-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Booker T & The MGs" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">All of the musicians in these groups are considered some of the top session musicians of all time. They are remembered for the records they played on, but don’t think for a second that all they did was sit around in a studio. Many of these musicians had solo careers, toured behind major artists, played wedding and corporate events, worked at local churches, played in hotel lobbies, etc. They did it all. Making a living as a musician means wearing many hats, and though some might fit better than others, a session musician's true job is to be ready for any and everything. This means that session musicians are more than studio players. They are craftsmen able to fit any situation and make everyone in the room believe that they belong. Sometimes these musicians are referred to as “hired guns,” but I never liked that term and will do as much as I can to replace it. A “session musician” has a deep respect for the tradition, the history, the artist, the situation, and the craft. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Many of <a contents="SoundLife," data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons">SoundLife</a>'s instructors are working session musicians in today’s world. They do it all. Recently I launched the <a contents="LA Sesion Group" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.lasessiongroup.com" target="_blank">LA Session Group</a>, which is a place for artists, managers, labels, and agencies to find the best session musicians in Los Angeles. If you follow the link, you will find many of our instructors along with over 60 other musicians that exemplify everything a session musician represents. We hope to introduce our students who seriously consider becoming professional musicians to this world when they are ready. I hope students will study the greats and get inspired. We’re writing our own story every day, and who knows the impact we can all have on the future of music!</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/56990032019-04-01T00:04:28-07:002023-12-10T10:10:06-08:00Worldly and World-Class: Enrique Lara<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/34496c8354e3031c92f122e6b841a5592830999a/original/enrique-lara.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" />Enrique Lara is more than just an incredible musician and music educator. He also happens to be an inspiring five-star human being, which makes him a perfect fit for the SoundLife family. Enrique joined SoundLife Music Academy in 2018 and currently teaches <a contents="drums" data-link-label="Drum Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/drum-lessons" target="_blank">drums</a>, <a contents="guitar" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons" target="_blank">guitar</a>, <a contents="bass" data-link-label="Bass Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/bass-lessons" target="_blank">bass</a>, <a contents="piano" data-link-label="Keyboard & Piano Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/keyboard-piano-lessons" target="_blank">piano</a>, <a contents="voice," data-link-label="Voice Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/voice-lessons" target="_blank">voice,</a> <a contents="songwriting" data-link-label="Songwriting Program" data-link-type="page" href="/songwriting-program" target="_blank">songwriting</a>, and <a contents="production" data-link-label="Recording Program" data-link-type="page" href="/recording-program" target="_blank">production</a>. He also serves as a <a contents="band coach" data-link-label="Band Coaching" data-link-type="page" href="/band-coaching" target="_blank">band coach</a> for student bands, <a contents="Jams," data-link-label="Student Jams" data-link-type="page" href="/student-jams" target="_blank">Jams,</a> and <a contents="Showcases" data-link-label="Showcases" data-link-type="page" href="/showcases" target="_blank">Showcases</a>. </p>
<p>Born in Germany and raised in Bolivia, Enrique brings a unique and varied cultural background to his drumming and his lessons. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and German, which allows him to reach and relate to Spanish and German-speaking students and artists in their native language. </p>
<p>After graduating from <a contents="Berklee College of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.berklee.edu/" target="_blank">Berklee College of Music</a> in 2008 with a dual major in Performance and Music Business, Enrique relocated to Los Angeles where he has spent the last 11 years working as an educator and professional drummer. As a performer, he tours the country with American Idol finalist <a contents="Casey Abrams" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://caseybassy.com/" target="_blank">Casey Abrams</a>, <a contents="Adam Lasher" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.adamlasher.com" target="_blank">Adam Lasher</a>, <a contents="Lucky Diaz" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://luckydiazmusic.com/" target="_blank">Lucky Diaz</a>, Latin superstars <a contents="Amanda Miguel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amandamiguel.com/" target="_blank">Amanda Miguel</a> and <a contents="Ana Victoria" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://anavictoria.com/" target="_blank">Ana Victoria</a>, and the rock band <a contents="Rivvrs" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.rivvrs.com/" target="_blank">Rivvrs</a>. Enrique also plays drums in his original calypso indie pop band, <a contents="Ghost Lion" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ghostlion.com/" target="_blank">Ghost Lion</a>. The band recently release two singles that he co-wrote and co-produced, "So It Goes" and "Sinking Stones.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/20485508dd669a63c0e5c419e2573332b59435e0/original/e-lara.jpeg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_right border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Enrique is equally proficient in the recording studio as he is on the stage. Over the years, he has played drums on countless songs for singer-songwriters, producers, and bands. Most recently, he played drums on indie artist <a contents="De’Anza’s" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://deanzamusic.com/bio" target="_blank">De’Anza’s</a> 2018 album Cosmic Dreams. </p>
<p>The journey from Bolivia to Boston to Los Angeles has given Enrique a multifaceted perspective and appreciation for people, opportunities, and relationships. He knows what it takes to adapt to a new language, culture, community, city, and country multiple times over. This unique insight and wisdom is beneficial to anyone who has the privilege to work with Enrique and study under his tutelage. </p>
<p>Whether it’s the challenge of learning music, finding success as a musician, or achieving dreams, Enrique gets it. His work ethic, which he lives by and teaches to each of his students, is a direct result of his experience. We count ourselves lucky to know and work with Enrique, and we are so happy that our students get the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by him week after week.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/56620272019-02-28T15:42:38-08:002019-10-02T10:16:53-07:00The Other Six Days: How to Rapidly Excel on Your Instrument<p><span class="font_regular">Once a week, a student sits across from their music teacher for a period of anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour seeking guidance on how to play their instrument. In their hands, students hold a type of mystery box with limitless potential; but without instruction, this amazing tool is useless. After their lesson, the student goes home eager to practice, and then somewhere between that moment and when they sit back down with their instrument, it’s lost. The information and the inspiration are a fuzzy memory, and the teacher is out of reach. This paradox has led me to ask the question, “Why do we take music lessons once a week?” </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">In thinking about this question and asking other instructors, we have all concluded that more lessons is not the answer unless a student is preparing for something specific, like a performance or audition. On a week-to-week basis, more lessons cannot really excel a student. The reason students study once a week is because they need to spend time with their instrument working on the material assigned to them and internalizing it. This time is not something a teacher</span>—<span class="font_regular">even the best teacher</span>—<span class="font_regular">could ever work around. The truth is that there are no shortcuts to mastery. <a contents="10,000 hours. That is what it takes." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930">10,000 hours. That is what it takes.</a> </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/1a191ab2c12f6c992ccb8a11e1650e1058989a0c/original/screen-shot-2019-02-27-at-11-40-31-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We all live in the age of information. Distractions are limitless, and to be honest, I cannot imagine growing up in today’s world and having the discipline to practice every day. I commend each and every one of my students that has the ability to do this and the families that help make it possible. So then, how do we fix the program of information being lost and the inspiration fading? How do we keep inspiration alive between the lesson and practice time? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The key is in the other six days of the week. At <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Music Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/music-lessons">SoundLife</a>, we use software to help students and teachers stay connected the other six days of the week and to keep the information and inspiration close at hand. Our students have the ability to message teachers if they have forgotten something, or even video chat with teachers. Our students have their own profile and student app that houses all of their practice assignments, including short videos made by the teacher to demonstrate their assignments. They have a practice timer to help them, as well as their teacher and parents gauging how much time they are putting in. These tools give our students a definite advantage between lessons. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6d83df4cbd842d35e65384ac19646f8f8840c27f/original/screen-shot-2019-02-27-at-10-04-26-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The name of the game when a student first begins learning is <em>instant gratification</em>. We build confidence and trust on the realization that a student can do it, they can play, they can learn, and they can get better. The word "can’t" is not in the SoundLife vocabulary. With that said, we assign students material reflective of where they are in their learning and their personal interests. They then have the ability to follow up with the teacher between the lesson and review the exact assignment over and over again if need be. When they feel like they’ve mastered the assignment, they can mark "done" and let the gratification sink in. As they progress, teachers can assign more and more, and students quickly have a wealth of material to work on at their fingertips. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">This process provides an immediate path to progress. It save parents money because they should never have to pay for the same lesson to be taught over again. For the same reason, it saves students time. This makes for a happy teacher, happy student, and happy parents. Most importantly, students see results quickly. These results can be measured, and that helps the teacher refine the material and keep the student learning at a rapid pace. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8de27d7238972b6b30e9451944bedcf634b939d0/original/screen-shot-2019-02-27-at-11-48-53-am.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Though we do live in a time of endless distraction, the good news is that we also have endless tools. And as long as a student has discipline, they can achieve anything. We have come a long way from having to continuously move the vinyl needle back over and over again to learn a passage of music. Instead, anyone who wants to learn can easily go to <a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.youtube.com">YouTube</a> and search for whatever they’re looking for. They can even slow the YouTube video down. Sheet music, guitar tablature, lyrics, and chords for every piece of music ever created are at a student’s fingertips. I often get bogged down when I’m scrolling through Facebook, thinking that this is time I could be practicing. On a good day, in that moment, I close the social media, pick up my guitar, and go to these amazing tools to continue my own path to mastery. Since the tools are endless...so are the possibilities.</span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/56165942019-02-03T20:43:09-08:002019-10-02T10:17:05-07:00Making Love Out of Nothing at All<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b28983183df5468ccb32f43f0609d8995fcc4ab0/original/airsupply-1024x800.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>For the last three years, I have been an on-call substitute for the band <a contents="Air Supply" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.airsupplymusic.com/">Air Supply</a>. Their main guitarist―who has been in the band for the last ten years, has a family, and is still playing 100+ dates per year—needs a break every now and then. That guitarist, <a contents="Aaron McClain" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.aaronmclain.com/">Aaron McClain</a>, just happens to be the first music director I ever worked under in Los Angeles.</p>
<p>I can't recall how it all came together, but in 2009, I was in the right place at the right time. SoundLife co-founder, Mike Torres, and I played with the same artist under Aaron’s direction. We were both in our early 20s, very green, and very hungry. Aaron took a liking to us, and the next six months were life changing. He taught me how to be a sideman, how to play parts, dial in sounds, how to look, etc...Years later, he called me to start working with Air Supply. <br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sonicperspectives.com/concert-reviews/air-supply-april-2016/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ced73d8753029efbd30f14cb089c4854fe66dfd3/original/air-supply-featured-image.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>I mention Air Supply because there is no band that encompasses Valentine’s Day more than they do. One of their setlists can easily have 10 out of 17 song titles with the word “Love” in it. Their entire career is built on power ballads, boy meets girl, and deep and always genuine love songs. Stepping into that band is an honor, and what they have achieved and still carry out to this day is amazing. Lovingly referred to as Airheads, their fans are die hard followers who look forward to seeing the band as many times as they possibly can. </p>
<p>My journey to Air Supply is something I often look back on and think, “How on earth did I wind up here?” Sure, it’s easy to say that I was in the right place at the right time, but it’s more than that. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” </strong></span><span class="font_large"><strong>-Seneca. </strong></span></p>
<p>I was ready for that moment, but only because Aaron, along with a long list of amazing people, extended themselves for me. For me to be where I am today, I had to receive a lot of guidance from people who could have easily helped only themselves. In a business known for being less than kind, I found people willing to go above and beyond to help others. It’s something I try to never forget and always pay forward, especially with <a contents="SoundLife" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">SoundLife</a>. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bc0ef01d10a3dad2c3be01f97ffc35f868af1853/original/pexels-photo-1097065.jpeg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Love: "The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth.” ― M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I believe the word “love” is an action word. It is not a feeling, though it can certainly be mistaken for one. It is the real reason I wound up sitting on stage with Air Supply. It took love to move that mountain. People extended themselves to nurture my growth, and the experience left me with a powerful appreciation. When I think about how love got me to where I am today, I'm reminded that music is the vehicle for many actions, especially love. </span></p>
<p>Music is the boyfriend standing outside your window with the boombox. It’s that first kiss when you were so afraid. Or that first concert that allowed you to truly let go and become overtaken by the music. It is the reason Airheads continue to go see Air Supply over and over again. Music moves people to reach beyond what they thought themselves to be capable of, and when approached the right way, it helps us all reach our best self. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Inspiration + action + discipline = X. </strong></span></p>
<p>In this equation, X could easily be replaced with pretty much anything someone desires and just as easily with the word <em>love</em>. We have a thought...an inspiration. Then we take action, and if we are disciplined enough in our action, X can truly equal anything. This is how we make love out of nothing at all. </p>
<p>I want to encourage everyone to put on their favorite love songs this month, or maybe even just their favorite songs. Let them take you back in time to special moments in your life. Let them move you to take those loving actions that could mean so much to those around you. Close your eyes and let that music sink in until you cannot help but smile. Happy Valentine’s Day!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0e3601077f6711cf440b317b0a259386b92aef9d/original/img-5612.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/55724372018-12-30T16:56:08-08:002022-01-11T02:38:55-08:00Resolution Revolution: 5 New Year's Resolutions for Musicians<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/fe4ec6e7a57676392b84825adc4e28d77467258e/original/screen-shot-2018-12-28-at-12-05-08-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Happy New Year!" /></p>
<p>It’s a new year. It’s a new day. Anything is possible. Everything is possible.</p>
<p>This is the mindset that most people have on the 1st of January. Students learning to play an instrument should be no different. Batman and Superman likely had New Year’s resolution. Of course I cannot prove this, but why not have some fun? I bet Jimmy Page and Angus Young do too. Why? Because a resolution is a personal commitment to work toward a change you wish to see in yourself or in the world. This change is translated into a goal and then a plan with measurable results.</p>
<p>The momentum we have at the beginning of a year is powerful. Given the right guidelines and trajectory, this energy could catapult students into another level of ability, composition, or service. Below are five resolutions for musicians. After reading through them, write them down yourself. Statistics show that written down goals are 80% more likely to be realized. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d4e89dec5ec52683db560ac85ae4462339e48696/original/screen-shot-2018-12-28-at-12-04-12-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong>1. Regular Practice Routine</strong> </p>
<p>Often students will say that their resolution is to “practice every day.” Like exercising or any other routine, our goals must be realistic. Our resolutions need to be achievable. We need specifics so that we can measure our success, and we need to take into account how busy our schedules can get. I suggest committing to one or a combination of the following programs: </p>
<ul> <li>15 minutes a day - 5 days a week </li> <li>30 minutes a day - 3 days a week</li>
</ul>
<p>These are specific goals that will help you work up to practicing regularly for longer stretches of time. Set a time each day, and pull out your phone to time your practice. Try to do this at the same time every day to help enforce the habit. If you absolutely have to miss a day, that is okay. Add that time to the next practice session. Cramming all of your practice into one day will not work long term, but if you have to double up on a day here and there, then that’s fine. Do everything you can to stay the course and keep this routine intact for at least 30 days. After that, you will find that practice is something you crave, a priority that you'll automatically work into your schedule. </p>
<p><strong>2. Setlists and Song Lists</strong> </p>
<p>A setlist, playlist, and song list are pretty much the same thing. A wonderful resolution for musicians is to set a goal to learn a certain number of songs from top to bottom. Every student I teach starts with a 5-song list. We do not add songs until all five songs are done. When those five are accomplished, we celebrate and then make a new list. This process is very important: Set the goal. Work toward the goal. Achieve the goal. Celebrate the achievement. Wash, rinse, repeat.</p>
<p>When it comes to resolutions, we can be ultra specific. Try these examples: </p>
<ul> <li>One song a week for 12 weeks </li> <li>One guitar solo a month for 3 months played along with the recording </li> <li>Twelve songs for the year </li>
</ul>
<p>Think of your own resolution that's relevant to your goals, and write it out. Look at it and try to make it as specific and measurable as possible. One great tool is the <a contents="Ultimate Guitar App" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ultimate-guitar-chords-tabs/id357828853?mt=8">Ultimate Guitar App</a>. It is $15 a year, but for that, you get the ability to save playlists of chords and lyrics. It also has a wonderful auto scrolling feature so you never have to stop playing. This has helped me stay focused and motivated in my goal to learn more songs that I can play and sing at the same time. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b22389db1600bf129adedcd6fc99359e5b84dbd0/original/screen-shot-2018-12-28-at-12-07-14-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ultimate-guitar-chords-tabs/id357828853?mt=8" /></p>
<p><strong>3. Techniques</strong> </p>
<p>Whether it's speed, rhythm, reading, improvisation, diction, phrasing, or any other technique, music students should set a resolution to incorporate something new into their arsenal. These techniques are not achieved by will power; they take discipline and consistency. These are two resolutions that we suggest trying: </p>
<ul> <li>All ______ played using _______ notes at ___________bpm </li> <li>________ for _______minutes a day, ______days a week. </li>
</ul>
<p>These two formats allow for music students to be flexible and personalize their resolutions. For example: "All modes played using sixteenth notes at 120 bpm" or "Sight read for fifteen minutes a day, three days a week." Try making your own resolution using this format and stick to it. You will see these techniques improve and show up in your playing in no time at all. </p>
<p><strong>4. Organization</strong> </p>
<p>The new year is the best time to get organized. This could mean different things to everyone, but for music students, it can be broken down into a few categories: </p>
<ul> <li>Equipment <ul> <li>Students should set a resolution to organize their equipment. This could pertain to how they will take care of things, put things away, and where accessories will be stored. </li> </ul> </li> <li>Material <ul> <li>Lyrics, Chords, Tabs, Lead Sheets, Sheet Music <ul> <li>Whether it is in a binder, an tablet, or a cloud-based software like Google Drive or Dropbox, this is the time to get those items in one place, in order, and prioritized. </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5. Memorization</strong> </p>
<p>For some, memorization is easy. For others, it can be a very difficult. Regardless, it's always important to exercise these muscles. This means consciously strengthening the memory by setting specific daily, weekly, and monthly goals. These are resolutions that I use to help keep my musical memory in shape. </p>
<ul> <li>One ______per day memorized </li> <li>One ______per week memorized </li> <li>_____________ per month memorized </li>
</ul>
<p>Personalizing this format could sound something like this: "One verse per day memorized." This is an achievable goal for anyone. Choose a song and just memorize one verse of lyrics for the day, or change the word and memorize one verse of chords or one phrase of a solo. Then bump it up for the midterm goal with: "One song per week memorized." This would be mean all of the lyrics, or one solo (meaning an entire solo). You can likely see the pattern. Follow this format, and watch as your memory begins to hold more than you can an imagine. It is through this process that musicians learn to keep thousands of songs and concepts in their brain. Who knows why they can’t remember to show up on time or be dressed appropriately? There’s honestly no explanation for that. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7a803ad8b4e104406dfcb7f5f7a21f539ec28186/original/screen-shot-2018-12-28-at-12-05-45-pm.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wish great success to everyone endeavoring to make changes and work towards goals. This year is poised to be your year, so get that pen and paper out and get inspired!</p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/55326672018-11-29T15:37:50-08:002020-11-27T17:12:03-08:00Concert Prep 101: Ten Steps to the Stage<p>On average, I play around 150 gigs per year. When I was in my 20s, that number would often reach above 200. The only difference now is that I say "no" much more often, and I imagine that will continue as my children grow older. I have performed in tiny clubs, ballrooms, theaters, and arenas, on stages from Los Angeles to Tokyo. I have played for the sheer thrill, and I've played in order to put food on the table and a roof over my head. I have played in cover bands, wedding bands, for singer-songwriters, major label artists, and legacy acts. I have played pop, rock, jazz, R&B, blues, and country. Each night might be a different setlist, with a different artist, and a completely different style of music.</p>
<p>To maintain this performance career successfully, it takes a process. The following is my concert prep process...one that I have relied on each and every time. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/260e520c2aa4e60c9e51d0e3c453fcf13470b1d6/original/screen-shot-2018-11-29-at-3-30-23-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>1. Listen All the Way Through (Do Not Play) </strong></p>
<p>The most important part of learning is always listening. If you are busy trying to figure out what to do without knowing the bigger picture, then you will surely miss the details. First, listen all the way through to any song you are planning to perform. Think to yourself about the sections: Where is the verse? The chorus? The bridge? How will you lay it all out on paper? Answering these questions will train the brain to retain song patterns like chord changes, forms, parts, melodies, and more. </p>
<p><strong>2. Write It Down </strong></p>
<p>After listening all the way through, go back to the beginning and start picking out the parts. The most important part is the foundation. In this case, the foundation consists of form and chord changes. You will need to find the chords and get those down on paper. It's not necessary to know how to read music or write out all of the nuances; just write down those chords and their harmonic rhythm, and work your way through the whole song. Once written down, label each section appropriately. For example: intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro. You don't need to actually play at this point; you just need to get the chords and the form. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/0d286912bd3910cd3fbd6b2ffc71894f9894c534/original/screen-shot-2018-11-29-at-3-31-25-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>3. Learn the Details </strong></p>
<p>Now it's time to really learn where your instrument sits in the song. What is your instrument actually doing, and how does it relate to the chords you just wrote? To figure this out, go through each section you labeled and really listen for your part. Think about how it will lay on the instrument and how you will perform it. Think about what effects you might be hearing, such as distortion, delay, reverb, etc. If you need to, this is the time to reference Youtube or Google for tricky spots. Oftentimes there are many different layers happening, so this is also the step where you create your own version of the part, assuming it will have to be played live. </p>
<p><strong>4. Perform</strong> </p>
<p>It's finally time to perform this song along with the recording. You have your road map, you know your part, and you know how your part fits into the song. Go back to the beginning a third time and play the song as if you were performing it. You'll probably still have to look at your road map, but if you can, try standing up and really playing with expression. This helps bring out the weaknesses. Musicians need to know what parts still need practice, and the only way to identify that is by really going for it. </p>
<p><strong>5. Memorize</strong> </p>
<p>For some people, memorizing music is very hard. For others, it's effortless. In either case, going through this process will help you internalize the song. Try practicing without looking at the road map. Recognize where your memory lapsed and work on the parts until there is no question in your mind. Memorizing is not always necessary or possible, but being present when you perform is. Being present is very difficult when your eyes are glued to the page. </p>
<p><strong>6. Organize </strong></p>
<p>We live in a beautiful time when information can be easily stored electronically. Take pictures of your road map or maps (depending on how many songs you are preparing) on your mobile device to ensure that they are never lost. Organize them in the order that they will be performed. Upload them to a cloud space like DropBox or a Google Drive so that they're available on every device. I personally have all of my road maps sorted by artist and setlist in an app called<a contents=" ForScore" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://forscore.co/about-music/"> ForScore</a>. This app is an amazing tool for organizing mass quantities of music. </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://forscore.co/about-music/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/445b8f2abaee77856fa1d7f7c0b86a453c274f8b/original/screen-shot-2018-11-29-at-3-29-46-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Music Lessons Tool" /></a></p>
<p><strong>7. What Do I Need To Bring?</strong> </p>
<p>If you have gone through all of this work, nothing would be worse than showing up to your performance and not having a guitar pick, tuner, music stand, or anything that you truly needed to feel comfortable. Ask yourself what you need. This is not a question for the band or the artist. This is a question for you. I personally need a mic stand with no top, an iPad stand, a guitar tuner, a capo, my pedal board, two sets of cables, two amplifiers, a strap, and a guitar. I also need to make sure I have the correct guitar for the situation. </p>
<p><strong>8. What Do I Need To Wear? </strong></p>
<p>The music business is a visual business. People listen with their eyes. I know that sounds silly, but imagine listening to the Rolling Stones, but they’re all dressed like insurance salesmen. It wouldn’t seem right, and it would actually affect the way you perceive the band. Always make sure you're wearing the correct attire for the situation. Wearing the wrong clothes could cause insecurity to creep into your head and put all of that work in jeopardy. </p>
<p><strong>9. Call Time </strong></p>
<p>Being on time does not mean showing up when the performance starts. On time is the “Call Time.” Running late is another way performers become their own worst enemy. When you rush, your mind is not able to get into the correct headspace. </p>
<p><strong>10. Down Beat </strong></p>
<p>The “Downbeat” is the when the music starts. This is when you are expected to be on stage performing. It does not mean setting up, but rather assumes that you are ready to play. </p>
<p>Once the moment comes, it is imperative to rely on the process, to trust it, and to trust yourself. If you do this, then you can be truly free, and only then can the fun really begin. It may seem like a lot to to go through at first; but if you make this process a habit, you will see your intuition take over and your capacity for memorizing music increase over time. You will also find that your ears hear music in layers and parts as opposed to one collective sound. It is at this level that musicians are able to learn and store literally hundreds of songs. It is this process that has helped me build a career as a performing musician.</p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/54481532018-10-30T21:35:44-07:002020-11-27T17:12:24-08:00Take Care of Your Instrument <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3555613fd737f4a9a53eeca5c5d6f4e49e7e2cba/original/screen-shot-2018-10-30-at-9-15-46-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large">“Quality is not an act, it is a habit” - Aristotle </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Musicians are often referred to as “weekend warriors.” During the days when others are at home watching football and fighting over the popcorn, musicians are racing around town from performance to performance, squeezing the day, and living for the night. We make our living in churches, cocktail parties, weddings, corporate gatherings, nightclubs, theaters, arenas, and stadiums. Many of the musicians you see headlining on a Saturday night at the Wiltern will wake up the next morning at 6am for a church gig or to a restaurant to set up for brunch. Our bills are paid by taking every opportunity, staying humble, and building strong relationships. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In a busy lifestyle such as this, it is imperative that musicians take care of their instruments and have everything they need at all times. This means that the quality of their service is directly related to the quality of their habits. Your instrument(s), aside from being cool and beautiful, are tools much like computers in an office or paper and pencil in the classroom. Without them and everything that we need to operate them, we cannot do our job...and those that depend on us would quickly lose trust. The reality for working musicians is harsh, but for those who take care of their instruments and know how to be on time and prepared, it is a truly rewarding and empowering occupation. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Being a musician is not for everyone, but studying music and learning to instill these habits at an early age will benefit you in all that you do for the rest of your life. Start with these five helpful habits that will give you peace of mind when it comes time to perform. They will make your teacher and parents forever proud. Most importantly, they will create in you a sense of inner confidence that you are prepared and ready for anything. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/886b4a32ebf8b94b5f92c49eef5b6f57f30bcd06/original/screen-shot-2018-10-30-at-9-10-53-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">1. Keep Accessories (picks, cables, tuner, drum sticks, etc..) and Lesson Materials Together in One Place </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">These are the items that students most often lose. Believe it or not, many adults misplace these items as well. I myself misplace them all the time. The trick is to create an impenetrable system. There should be one place where you always put these items, and after every time you play your instrument, these items should be put back together in that place. Before leaving the house, make a checklist to ensure these items are with you wherever you go. I always lose guitar picks, but I keep them in my case, car, and wallet. Rest assured, I will never be without one. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">2. Store The Instrument In Its Case </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">What if you had the opportunity to jump on stage with your favorite performer and the only condition was that you had to use your own instrument? What if the moment came and your instrument was not working properly? Sounds pretty scary, doesn’t it? Let me paint another picture. You’ve been playing your instrument and decided to leave it on the floor of your bedroom. In the middle of the night, you get up to go to the bathroom and hear the painful sound of cracking beneath your feet...ouch. There goes your instrument (this actually happened to me when I was kid). Take care of your instrument, and it will take care of you. Always put it back in the case! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2a14a4f5b1a1a199b03502db313c4fe149ccfc06/original/screen-shot-2018-10-30-at-9-09-37-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">3. Give It a Six-Month Check-Up </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Guitarists should change their strings at least every six months. This is at the very least! If you play the drums, your heads will need to be changed. If you play acoustic piano, it will need to be tuned. All of your instruments will need to be dusted and checked from top to bottom to make sure they’re in proper working condition. So many of my students see the jacks on their guitars fall into the body of the guitar because they did not take care of the problem when it first reared its ugly head. I recommend just picking a day once every six months to take care of basic maintenance on your instrument. A great instrument can last a lifetime if it is well taken care of. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">4. Keep Your Instrument In Tune </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Keeping your instrument in tune is not just about sounding good, though that is without question very important. An instrument that is regularly tuned gets used to being in tune and tends to stay in tune longer, and the tension on the instrument stays regulated or balanced. This helps ensure that the instrument and all of its parts last longer. Guitarists should tune their instrument every time they take it out! </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">5. Wipe The Instrument Down With a Cloth </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Once a month or so, you should take a cloth with some wood cleaner and wipe down your instrument. Wipe it from top to bottom and watch how much dirt is accumulated. Our fingers are the dirtiest parts of our body, and that dirt builds up quickly with every play. Take just 5 minutes to wipe that dirt away. The tone will brighten up, your strings will last longer, and your instrument will be beautiful all over again. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">These easy habits are just the beginning, but they are a great way to start imitating the pros. Making these a part of your routine will take your playing to another level. They will also make you look at other areas of interest through a different lens</span>—<span class="font_large">one of organization, professionalism, and care. Give them a try, and be sure to let us know how it goes! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/54479432018-09-28T15:07:32-07:002020-10-04T14:33:12-07:00My First Guitar <p><span class="font_large">Halloween is my family's favorite holiday. That is not because we’re crazies. It mostly relates to being from the east coast and growing up around the beautiful shades of orange and brown every year. We look forward to decorating our house in those colors, carving pumpkins, baking pumpkin seeds, and making pumpkin pie. We dress up every year without fail. Even if we don’t leave the house, we’ll still dress up. We have fun playing pretend. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">For both my wife and me, this year will be special. Our newborn girls are now just over one-month-old, and we get to celebrate their first Halloween. From the outside looking in, I know what some may be thinking...that the girls are certainly not old enough to care about any of these things. They’re still happiest with a binky and a blanket. While that may be true, we’re happiest when they’re dressed up in cute outfits and our phones are recording every second. This is my segue into our topic. When our children don’t know any better, we do three things. 1) Ask for advice from others. 2) Spoil them rotten. 3) Live vicariously through them. This is what I want you, as a parent, to consider when deciding on the first instrument for your child. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">We will be doing a series called “My First” to highlight options for every type of instrument. Every week I am asked for recommendations, whether they be starter instruments or upgrades. Like the Halloween costumes for one-month-old babies, a child will not know the difference between an expensive or cheap instrument, a quality tool or a forgettable toy. It is up to us to ask for advice, decide when and how to spoil our children, and what we as parents would like to gain from the experience. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/d1feaf0423307e08b5e90fd751cc1f843c1cdbc5/original/screen-shot-2018-09-28-at-3-04-43-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large">There are five things to consider when purchasing a first guitar. We will take a brief look at each category, and then I will list some suggestions that my team has agreed on for young learners. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Price</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Guitars range in price from $50 to $10,000. This tells us that while guitars can be valuable assets, they can also be silly little toys given as gifts to toddlers. I encourage parents to decide ahead of time what their budget is for a first instrument, knowing that if the student sticks with it, there will be periodic upgrades over time. You will want to spoil your child. The question is when and how. I believe in delayed gratification and have found that it produces wonderful results. With that said, <strong>I suggest a $100 budget for a first guitar. </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Style</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">There are two main types of guitars: acoustics and electrics. Acoustic guitars are self sufficient, while electric guitars require an amplifier and quarter-inch instrument cable. Beyond this, there are subgenres that break down the size of the guitar’s body, the type of strings, the type of electronics, so on and so forth. The combinations are limitless. This is where asking for advice comes in handy. It is very easy to get overwhelmed with the options, and the worst thing is to purchase a 1st guitar that is unplayable for the student. <strong>I recommend a nylon string acoustic guitar. For students 8 and under, I recommend a quarter-size nylon string acoustic.</strong> These nylon strings are soft on the fingers, and because new students do not have calluses, playing guitar can be slightly painful in the beginning. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Look </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When we consider what we as parents want out of this deal, it usually comes down to wanting our kids to have fun, learn something new, and look super cute or cool doing it. We want to see our children on stage or rocking out in the living room, and we want to have those pictures to look back on. We also want our young learners to have a personal attachment to their instrument. With an endless sea of choices from color to shape and size, I suggest starting with a blank canvas...a fairly boring guitar...and letting the second instrument be the one that speaks directly to the student. Now, if you just can’t wait that long, then start with color. Pick your child’s favorite color, and then maybe think about your favorite look. With this approach, the student gets a guitar in their favorite color and you get to tell them why that particular look is cool. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Package</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">As your child develops a serious hobby of practicing music, instruments and accessories can become incredibly expensive over time. In the beginning. <strong>I suggest looking for a package deal that includes everything a student will need</strong>. If you are going with an acoustic, that means a package that includes the case and some picks. If you are going with an electric, that means going with a package that includes case, an amplifier, a quarter-inch cable, and maybe some guitar picks or a tuner. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Brand</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">If you are an <a contents="Amazon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> shopper, then good luck getting the honest truth out of reviews and placement in the search results. Most companies pay top dollar to outreach services to boost those reviews. If you are a <a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a contents="Google" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank">Google</a> user, chances are the platform already knows you are thinking about purchasing an instrument. It will probably start showing you a million options in every other post on your newsfeed. <strong>My advice is to stick with the seasoned veterans.</strong> </span><span class="font_large"><a contents="Fender" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.fender.com/" target="_blank">Fender</a> (Electronics only) and <a contents="Taylor" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.taylorguitars.com/" target="_blank">Taylor</a> (Acoustics only) are big names that have stood the test of time, and they produce cool-looking, quality beginner and advanced instruments at a reasonable price. Outside of these two juggernaut companies, there are a few other companies that I personally like for starter instruments: <a contents="Yamaha" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://usa.yamaha.com/" target="_blank">Yamaha</a>, <a contents="BreedLove" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://breedlovemusic.com/" target="_blank">BreedLove</a>, and <a contents="Epiphone" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.epiphone.com/" target="_blank">Epiphone</a>. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">And the verdict is… </span></strong></p>
<p><a contents="Yamaha GT1 Guitalele Package - $99&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Guitalele-Tobacco-Sunburst-Ukulele/dp/B01MT8711X?keywords=yamaha+guitalele&qid=1538014637&sr=8-3&ref=sr_1_3" target="_blank"><strong><span class="font_large">Yamaha GT1 Guitalele Package - $99 </span></strong></a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a95d4a507558c64f4aa59267b0c0b987474c6b13/original/screen-shot-2018-09-28-at-3-02-59-pm.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">This acoustic nylon string guitar is a quarter-sized<span style="font-size: 12px;">, </span></span><span class="font_large">meaning it's much smaller. It comes with a guitar case and tuner. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar Package - $140" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-C40-Classic-Digital-Starter/dp/B0035B9D0O?keywords=Yamaha+c40+package&qid=1538171949&sr=8-2-fkmrnull&ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2" target="_blank"><span class="font_large"><strong>Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar Package - $140</strong> </span></a></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This is the same style of guitar, but full size for ages 8 and older. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="Squire Strat Pack SSS - $199" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier/Strat-Pack-SSS-Electric-Guitar-with-Fender-Frontman-10G-Combo-Amplifier.gc" target="_blank"><span class="font_large"><strong>Squire Strat Pack SSS - $199</strong> </span></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ca119ee6520a69ebd428d30e7a97baaddc18a894/original/screen-shot-2018-09-28-at-3-03-27-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This short-scale electric guitar comes with an amplifier, picks, a guitar cable, and a strap. Although the case is sold separately, it’s a perfect starter guitar. Short scales makes it a perfect fit for ages 8 and under. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="Fender Squire (Full Size) - $299&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Stratocaster-Beginner-Electric-Amplifier/dp/B071S6CG1S?keywords=fender+squire&qid=1538015521&sr=8-18&ref=sr_1_18" target="_blank"><strong><span class="font_large">Fender Squire (Full Size) - $299 </span></strong></a></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This is the same as the above, except that it is full-scale. I would recommend this for ages 8 and up. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">Of course, these are only my recommendations, and there are scores of other options out there. These were chosen based on the five factors above. Over the last fifteen years, we have had more success with these starter instruments over all others. We hope this helps make shopping for that first instrument easier, maybe even more fun. You can certainly shop with confidence! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Next month, we will discuss how to properly care for your instrument so that it endures the wear and tear from practice and performance.</span></p>
<ul></ul>
<p><span class="font_large">As always, if you ever need help deciding or other advice, we are here. Please feel free to give us a call, text, or <a contents="email" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:info@soundlifelessons.com" target="_blank">email</a>. These requests go directly to me, and I love helping to ensure that students are set up for success. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Director, SoundLife Music Academy</span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/54072802018-08-30T01:52:15-07:002019-10-02T10:18:44-07:00Life Will Find a Way: The Power of Imagination <p><span class="font_regular">Jurassic Park is an amazing movie. I don’t think anybody would question this statement. To be clear, I’m talking about the original movie from 1993. The rest of the franchise is up for debate. I can clearly remember seeing dinosaurs for the first time and thinking they were enormous, majestic creatures. I was captivated to the point of collecting my jaw off the floor and having to relearn how to blink. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/201e77410a21ddc457c6c6c60826d36791493f4b/original/screen-shot-2018-08-30-at-1-44-05-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />I was only 8 when Jurassic Park came out, so you can imagine that I had nightmares about the T-Rex and the Raptors. Aside from those two species, I was obsessed...so much that my Mother took me to a dinosaur exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. I played with my little toy dinosaurs the whole way from Baltimore down to Washington in the backseat of the car. Mom told me there would be life-size dinosaurs waiting for us! What could be more exciting? Sure enough, the exhibit had a collection of full-sized animatronic dinosaurs. They created a walk-through maze that showcased each species in their natural environment. I felt like I was in Jurassic Park. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/9b07f08163b63e1f716e48083fdd3c176f0f25ef/original/screen-shot-2018-08-30-at-1-45-30-am.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c739af828561687937d7d59cc073427dbdd1fbc9/original/screen-shot-2018-08-30-at-1-47-53-am.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">As a small child, my imagination erased the bathroom and exit signs. It removed the parking lots, cars, ticket windows, and guard rails. In my mind, I was there, in the land of the dinosaurs. Most of me was thrilled, but lurking in the back of my mind was the realization that if all of these species were here, there must be a T-Rex. That fear grew fast. By the time I reached the T-Rex, I was holding onto Mom’s leg and crying. I wouldn’t move an inch further. It was the end of the line for me. I remember Mom trying to talk me through everything, pointing out the other people, the exit signs, the bathroom, and reminding me that we were simply in a museum. It didn’t matter. The fear was real. The T-Rex was real. And I was done. Mom had to get me out. She had to rescue me from the T-Rex. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8335c665d639eadff666ad90f9725a71cf2ca770/original/dinosaur-fear.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" />The T-Rex was not real, but the fear certainly was. The same imagination that found dinosaurs to be mesmerizing also created that fear. I was so young that I could not prevent the fear from taking root and souring our day at the museum. We all have scenarios similar to this, as children and as adults. We all yield a powerful weapon, a versatile tool. That is our imagination. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Our imaginations are an incredible, limitless force. They can create and destroy. They can open and close doors. They can inspire hope and cultivate fear. We can use our imaginations, or they can use us. With imagination, we can anything we want to be. There are no lines to color inside of. As we grow older, we must learn to use our imagination as a tool. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Our musical instruments are an extension of this tool. Think of your instrument as the vehicle and your imagination as the driver. Your imagination creates the fuel that powers the vehicle, and that becomes your motivation as an artist. Our imaginations could take us to the edge of the stage at Madison Square Garden, but if we let fear take over, they could prevent us from believing in ourselves at all or ever getting our dreams off the ground. The imagination is truly that powerful. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Let’s all be mindful of this power. Music instructors are more than technicians working on your vehicle. They are there to be mentors, travel guides, and adventure experts. In each lesson, they are uncovering a bit more about your abilities, tapping into that super power, and taking it for a test drive. Whether a music student becomes a musician is besides the point. Success to us is seeing a student whose imagination fuels their belief and whose belief shapes their world for the better.</span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/53677472018-07-30T13:33:53-07:002020-11-27T17:11:26-08:00Always a Student: A Letter of Gratitude <p><span class="font_regular">Dear Parents, Students, Family, And Friends... </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">My wife is sitting across from me, lying on a hospital bed and set up on a machine that monitors our babies' heart beats. We are three weeks away from bringing twin baby girls into the world. At this stage in the process, Kristen is monitored up to three times a week to make sure everything looks good. This is a normal routine for our type of twins. The room is filled with the sound of their heart beats and my fingers typing away on a laptop. We’re excited, scared, and anxious all at the same time. For seven and a half months, these girls have been preparing to take the world’s stage, and we’ve been preparing to welcome them with open arms. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Both Kristen and I are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we have received from the SoundLife community. When we began this adventure at the beginning of year, we had no idea how to navigate the waters ahead. As silly as it may sound, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. As the weeks and months went by, we became more comfortable with sharing our news and eventually letting everyone in on our little secret. Since then we have received so much wonderful advice, help, and good wishes. Every week parents are asking me how Kristen is feeling, how I am doing, whether we have this or that, and sharing the experiences that helped them the most in their own journey into parenthood. Before we knew it, what we didn’t know turned into what we needed to know, and we were on our way. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">When my partner Mike and I started this music program, we wanted to build a community—a family, so to speak. We wanted to go beyond teaching music lessons and create a support system for music students and parents of music students so that the benefits of learning an instrument could be truly realized. For us, this meant concerts, newsletters, bands, progress reports, and so many other tools that we are still working toward. When we sit down to think about how to continually refine our program and what we can offer families, it always comes back to this sense of community. We knew that to become successful musicians and successful adults, it really does take a village. We did not get to our dreams alone. It was our teachers, our friends, and our family that provided us with the support and encouragement that would eventually carry us to our where we are. The most important thing they taught us was how to be a student, how to know that which we did not know. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I have been teaching music to students of all ages since the age of fifteen in both group and private settings. I have taught in the home, at music studios, and at schools. Now at thirty-three, I have eighteen years of experience as a teacher, ten years of experience touring and recording as a professional musician, and just over five years of experience running a business. When I think of this, it helps put things into perspective. This helps me understand that I need to always be learning and that no amount of learning can replace experience. To this day I attend classes and seminars on business. I play my instrument every day. I read daily, listen to podcasts, and am an avid user of “Audible.” We also have so many successful business leaders in our community that I am always learning from our students' parents as well. When I think of the future, I feel two distinct emotions: Gratitude and Hope.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">From both Kristen and me and the entire SoundLife team, thank you. Thank you for teaching us. Just as we do our best to support the growth of our students, you have all supported our growth as teachers and as a business. Kristen and I are able, in part, to enter into this next chapter of life because of your support. Thank you for showing so much compassion, for joining us in the adventure, and for supporting myself, my team, and our mission. My personal promise is to always be a student and to cultivate a community of leaders who are themselves lifelong students. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Sincerely, </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Christopher James Vazquez </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Director, SoundLife Music Academy</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/544a5cc43a233735323cfeba50707c6ee4c4c9c7/original/img-1910.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/53260422018-06-30T10:38:10-07:002019-10-02T10:19:18-07:00The Show Must Go On<p><span class="font_regular">It happened…we grew, and we grew, and then one day…we outgrew. Six months ago, a number of parents approached me following our annual winter student showcase. As with all of our events, we listened carefully to their suggestions, hoping to continuously improve the experience for students, parents, friends, and family. This time, between the feedback we received and the number of performers, it was clear that we needed to move on from our home at Cascade Studios in Hollywood. It was time to find a new home for SoundLife Music Academy and a new stage for our students. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">On June 3, 2018, we held our first Summer Music Showcase at the historic <a contents="El Cid on Sunset Blvd" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.elcidsunset.com" target="_self">El Cid on Sunset Blvd</a>. If you were there, you got to witness students take the stage in true rockstar form. El Cid had a proper backstage area for performers, a side stage, curtains, and an ambiance that is hard to capture. Guests of the students got to sit at tables, order food and drinks, and hang out at the patio when they needed a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, El Cid was a breath of fresh air, and we’re excited to have found a new home. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c3d30d515bb098c5b89ca2eb6c7c4cf396f56903/original/screen-shot-2018-06-30-at-10-20-08-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">This venue holds a tremendous amount of history, not only in the city of Los Angeles, but also in the professional lives of nearly every member of our staff. Founded in 1915, El Cid has been everything from a silent movie theatre, to a café, to a playhouse, to a cabaret, to a flamenco dinner theatre, to a live music venue. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I went to see a friend’s band play at El Cid. It was the first show I attended in the city and was so long ago that I forgot about it until walking down those unforgettable steps years later to perform there myself. All of our instructors, Mike and I included, have been up on that stage practicing what we preach. For our students, they conquered one of the longstanding venues in the city. First stop: El Cid; next up: the Hollywood Bowl. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3f1432371c3523b6a3e279cd76177e9c685f5d7e/original/screen-shot-2018-06-30-at-10-21-15-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The afternoon saw a mix of solo performers, duos, trios, and full bands take the stage. We heard beautiful music ranging from classic rock and roll, to contemporary pop, to brand new original compositions. This year’s showcase highlighted more bands than ever before, with a total of seven. Each band had unique style, chemistry, repertoire, and stage presence. For our audience, it was truly a concert experience. For the performers, it was a chance to not only get on stage and perform, but an opportunity to cheer on others and get inspired. For us, it has always been and will always be about building a community....a safe and encouraging place for students to soar. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/eed0a3352d6fa066db9fbf3cc6b2e718f3325b22/original/screen-shot-2018-06-30-at-10-36-16-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We cannot thank the parents, friends and extended families enough for supporting us and making these concerts and our entire program possible. We had over 112 people attend this year's Summer Showcase, and when I took that stage to start the show, it was hard to hold back the tears of gratitude. It takes a village. We have done and are doing this together. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Thank you for believing in the power of music education, the talent of these kids, the experience of our instructors, and the vision of our leadership. Looking ahead, we will again take in everything we learned and loved from June 3 to continue our quest to create the best concert experience for everyone. We’re already excited and can’t wait to do it again!</span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/52552972018-05-25T10:12:58-07:002020-12-14T18:13:27-08:00Help! – 7 Ways to Keep Young Learners Focused<p><span class="font_regular">Does this sound familiar? Your child asks to play an instrument. They practically beg, and you</span>—<span class="font_regular">being the superhuman parent that you are</span>—<span class="font_regular">go above and beyond to do the research and make this request a reality. After all, this is a moment where your child is requesting to learn a skill that you know very well could have a long-lasting, positive impact on their life. How could you not do all that you can? So you go on<a contents=" Amazon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.com" target="_self"> Amazon</a> to find a reasonably priced instrument, then you head over to <a contents="Google" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.google.com" target="_self">Google</a> or talk with friends about potential schools or teachers. Before you know it, all of the pieces are in place and you are the best parent of all time. You cannot wait to give your child this tremendous gift and opportunity. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Fast forward to the first lesson. Whether it's a brick-and-mortar traditional music school or <a contents="private in-home instructor" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_self">private in-home instructor</a>, the first lesson is always exciting. Your child comes out of that lesson smiling ear to ear, and already the mirror is out and they’re a rock star. Truly, what could be better? But...as with most things, when our feet get back to the ground, the reality sets in. “Wait, there’s work involved? This is hard! I have to practice? There’s homework?” <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/aef793e6bd827b34da6e1c468b11a9978206a1a3/original/screen-shot-2018-05-24-at-12-28-02-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>“Help, I need somebody!” - John Lennon </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Yes, help is needed. Parents need help guiding their young rock stars, and students need help setting goals and creating a clear path to achieving them. It takes a village to acquire a new skill. In the same way that you cannot learn a language without using it regularly, you cannot learn to play an instrument without regular, consistent exposure. Well, you can...but it will take a very long time and be a lot less rewarding. It is true that no two students are alike, and everyone learns differently. These are my personal suggestions, from over 20 years of teaching, for parents who have students that seem to be lacking motivation or simply refuse to practice. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>“Accountability breeds response - ability” - Stephen Covey</strong> </span><br> </p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Talk with your child’s instructor regularly.</strong> </span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">If you cannot be present at the lesson, communicate via text or email. Make sure you know what is expected of them and what the bigger picture goals are. Also, make sure this information is written down. Things that are written down are <a contents="80% more likely to be acted upon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.ecowellnessnews.net/wp-content/uploads/Write-down-Goals.pdf" target="_self">80% more likely to be acted upon</a>. At SoundLife, we have <a contents="practice planners" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/getting-the-most-out-of-music-lessons" target="_self">practice planners</a> that can be sent via text or email after every lesson for this specific reason. They are cloud-based, so parents can always refer back and they will never get lost. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>2. Talk with your child about their assignments regularly.</strong> </span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">Set a reminder on your phone to talk with your child about their weekly lesson. Make sure they know clearly what is expected of them and how they should go about practicing. Often students get overly confident that they will remember everything in the lesson, but when the teacher is gone, so is the information. This is why having written down assignments is so important. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>3. Treat yourself to a show.</strong> </span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">You, your spouse, a sibling, or a nanny should take at least 15 minutes out of the week to sit down and enjoy a short performance. Whatever your student is working on in lessons</span>—<span class="font_regular">whether it is chords, scales, pieces of a song, or an original composition</span>—<span class="font_regular">let them perform for you. If you do this on a weekly basis, you will see the machine being assembled piece-by-piece, which is always fun. Remember, this is building accountability, so encouragement and enthusiasm are key, and a standing ovation is icing on the cake. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>4. Have quarterly reports.</strong> </span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">In addition to weekly written assignments, it helps to sit down with your student and their instructor once every quarter for just 10 minutes at the end of a lesson to discuss their overall progress, work ethic, and goals. I believe thoroughly in short and long term goals. The weekly assignments hold students accountable for short term goals, while the quarterly reports not only help keep them aimed in the right direction long term, but also allow them to have input in that direction. This is the time to recalibrate and make adjustments. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/af709d10fa1c4a9efc5c2a982f9f0d9ea9b78cc3/original/screen-shot-2018-05-24-at-12-31-23-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>5. Incentive is key.</strong> </span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">If a student is studying the guitar, I always recommend starting off on a small, nylon string acoustic or ukulele, preferably something that is as <a contents="inexpensive as $99" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.google.com/shopping/product/223829673825001937?lsf=seller:1327510,store:2203602791062354812&prds=oid:17941344965716693550&q=Yamaha+beginner+nylon+guitar+1/4+%2499&hl=en&ei=MhcHW_isKIXu9AOC6IeQCw&lsft=gclid:EAIaIQobChMIpp_pjY-f2wIVBdNkCh0OnQzVEAQYAiABEgKxfPD_BwE" target="_self">inexpensive as $99</a>. This gives the student room to grow and plenty to work toward. Momentum is everything. Eventually they will want an electric guitar, and then a nicer electric guitar. And if this keeps going, they’ll have a room full of guitars. In martial arts, the belt system keeps momentum flowing. Students want that black belt and will work color-by-color to get it. Music is very much the same. Incentive does not have to be limited to instruments. Everything, from music accessories to concert tickets to ice cream, works as an incentive. Remember, we do not appreciate that which we did not work for; reward without effort has no value. Do not treat your young learner to these incentives without first making sure they clearly deserve it. A student should understand fully the goal, the path to achieve the goal, and what is at stake. </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>6. Community is everything. </strong></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">Students who participate in musically-related activities at school or in their free time are far more likely to keep practicing. Their peers hold them accountable more than any teacher or parent ever could. This is why at SoundLife we began hosting <a contents="monthly jam sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/student-jams">monthly jam sessions</a>. Every month students can meet and work on songs together in a band format, each holding the other accountable. Every lesson following one of these jam sessions starts with, “I’ve been practicing.” </span></p>
<h4><span class="font_regular"><strong>7. Take it to the masses.</strong> </span></h4>
<p><span class="font_regular">At SoundLife Music Academy, we hold two <a contents="annual student showcases" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/showcases">annual student showcases</a> a year that are open to all students. These are not just some kind of marketing tool for our lessons program. They are a key piece to the puzzle of learning to play a musical instrument. Public performance is the glue that pulls every skill together and pushes students to reach further than they could imagine. When students decide to participate, their lessons become boot camp preparing for battle. Each lesson has a purpose, and there is a definite due to date, along with measurable results. Performances also bring out the fun in dressing up, playing a character, and living out that initial rock star fantasy.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2311e9d48a32474690dd3523db2a34da30db93ba/original/screen-shot-2018-05-24-at-12-29-18-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>“I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.” - John D. Rockefeller </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I have always loved this quote. It speaks true to all areas of life. At the end of the day, learning an instrument is a privilege, as is having an instrument, and with every privilege comes a responsibility. We all want students to just keep playing, but without that accountability, they will never get the full benefit of learning. Try some of these suggestions out in your home and let us know how it goes. We’re eager to hear how we can all make each other better.</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/51487002018-03-26T13:39:40-07:002023-07-13T13:15:20-07:00Getting the Most Out of Music Lessons<p><span class="text-big"><i><strong>“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I learn. Involve me and I remember.” - Benjamin Franklin </strong> </i></span></p><p> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/750f871f81d94105171ac05af8f66d7e732f70ca/large/screen-shot-2018-03-26-at-1-32-11-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Ben Franklin" /></p><p> </p><p>Ben Franklin was more than a famous inventor. He was a founding father, the first American millionaire, and a student of constant and never ending personal improvement. This quote came to our attention and struck a chord regarding music lessons and how to comprehensively "involve" our students in the learning process. In response, we wanted to bring attention to a number of supplemental tools created to enrich the music lesson experience and ensure results. These services are here as a part of the learning process and open to all students. Some have been in place for a long time, while others are brand new. We encourage everyone to take full advantage of these resources and watch the magic of music unfold. </p><p><strong>Check Out Our Music Lessons Blog </strong></p><ul>
<li>Visit <a class="no-pjax" href="/blog" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Blog" contents="www.soundlifelessons.com/blog&nbsp;" target="_self">www.soundlifelessons.com/blog </a>
</li>
<li>Packed with inspiring, educational, insightful, and enriching articles for students and parents of students </li>
</ul><p><i>We have a large catalog of blogs for every question imaginable. Every time a student or parent raises a pertinent question, we write it down and do our due diligence to research and generate a helpful and thorough response that can be shared with our entire community. </i></p><p><strong>Read Our Monthly Newsletter </strong></p><ul><li>Every month we send out a community newsletter featuring a local concert calendar, student of the month, school-related news, coupons, and success stories of both our instructors and students. </li></ul><p><i>You may have found your way here via our newsletter, but if you did not, please </i><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" target="_blank" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="sign up"><i>sign up</i></a><i>. This is a complimentary service, and we work hard to power pack each month with relevant and helpful information, including a local concert calendar and quarterly discounts.</i> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a69e371e4f9a370f80ac17aa518395474b0efeb6/large/screen-shot-2018-03-26-at-1-38-47-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><strong>Follow A Shared Practice Planner </strong></p><ul>
<li>This is a brand new program launching April 1, 2018. </li>
<li>Our instructors will write lesson assignments in a shared document so students and parents can always see what they are supposed to be working on and how far they have come. </li>
<li>The instructor will also text a copy of each weekly assignment to the parent, student, or point of contact so they are always in the loop. </li>
</ul><p><i>We realize how busy everyone can get, and we know that it is not always easy to keep track of your lesson assignments. This is why we created a shareable practice planner. Parents and students can now save and access their weekly assignments 24/7. Students no longer have to fear if something goes lost, and parents can be involved even from a distance. </i></p><p><strong>SoundLife Community Facebook Page </strong></p><ul>
<li>This is a brand new program launching April 1, 2018. </li>
<li>We created a SoundLife Facebook group for students, teachers, and parents only. This page is a place for students and parents to ask questions and interact with other students and parents. This is also a safe place to advertise upcoming performances, school functions, fundraisers, and accomplishments. </li>
<li>Visit: <a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/studentsofsoundlife" data-link-type="url" contents="www.facebook.com/groups/studentsofsoundlife&nbsp;" target="_self">www.facebook.com/groups/studentsofsoundlife </a>
</li>
</ul><p><i>This is not just us telling you to follow our Facebook page. We wanted to create a space for teachers, students, and parents to interact with another. We will be putting up supplemental lesson material, cool articles, and community events. Parent and students can also chime in and ask questions to the entire community. </i> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/76edc8d626c3bcf27ad1da17d8b95fb4d9119494/large/screen-shot-2018-03-26-at-1-36-36-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Jam Session" /><br><strong>Monthly Jam</strong> </p><ul>
<li>On the last Saturday of every month, we host an open jam session for current students and their friends to gather together and work on band material under the guidance and supervision of a real touring musician. </li>
<li>For info, visit: https://www.soundlifelessons.com/home/blog/the-soundlife-jam </li>
</ul><p><i>There is no substitute for playing music with others. Music was meant to be shared. This “jam session” is a place to try new things, sharpen your skills, meet others, practice with other musicians, and just have fun! We recognize that it’s hard today for kids to make bands with friends at school, so we created a place where they can do that every month. </i></p><p><strong>Student Showcases </strong></p><ul>
<li>All students are encouraged to participate in our two annual Student Showcases. These concerts feature solo performers, duos, and full bands. This is an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their progress, meet other students, perform for an audience, and get inspired. All participants receive a video of their performance and professional rock star photos. </li>
<li>For info, visit: http://www.soundlifelessons.com/student-showcase </li>
</ul><p><i>Our concerts are held at a real venue and give students the chance to play gigs on stage in a variety of settings. Every time we hold a concert, students improve. Participating in the concert stimulates goal-oriented learning, which has proven to be the most efficient way to master new skills. </i></p><p><strong>Follow Us On Instagram</strong> </p><ul>
<li>
<a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.instagram.com/soundlifelessons" data-link-type="url" contents="www.instagram.com/soundlifessons&nbsp;" target="_self">www.instagram.com/soundlifessons </a> </li>
<li>We are always sharing student success stories, inspiring quotes from music legends, fun musical facts, and highlight videos from student performances. </li>
</ul><p><i>We are not trying to sell people on following us because we need the followers. This Instagram page is curated specifically to encourage music fans and students so that they have daily inspiration to practice, listen to, and play music. </i></p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/50940642018-02-22T15:07:32-08:002023-07-13T12:47:05-07:00Five Keys to Success in Music & Life<p>Learning a musical instrument is a journey. From the first steps of learning notes, chords, rhythms, terminology, and basic techniques all the way to mastering songs, improvising, reading music, and performing on stage, we are here to support and encourage. We have all heard the phrase “It takes a village,” and that could not be more true in the case of learning the language of music. Parents, students, family, and friends should work together to help instill successful habits that will guarantee success. Let’s put first things first...there are a few keys ingredients to the successful mastery of any instrument. </p><h3>The Five P's</h3><p><strong>P</strong>ositive mental attitude </p><p><strong>P</strong>ractice </p><p><strong>P</strong>atience </p><p><strong>P</strong>ersistence </p><p><strong>P</strong>erformance<strong> </strong> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/f7b1d89e0c37e1868af586e9c1635ab6564bb3ae/large/strings-2.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><strong>You Positively Can Do This! </strong></p><p><i>“You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.” - Zig Ziglar (Motivational Speaker) </i></p><p>There is no question or doubt that you can do this. You are already a rockstar. Your teacher is only here to carve out your excellence. The curiosity and excitement that brought you to the instrument can carry you to the finish line of every goal your teacher sets. You truly can accomplish anything you set your mind to and have fun doing it! </p><p><strong>How Long Should I Practice? </strong></p><p><i>“I am always interested in what my players do during practice, but I am far more interested in what they do between practice.” - John Wooden (10 NCAA National Championships) </i></p><p>Each lesson will build from week to week. Much like learning a language, information and skill is cumulative. Practice time during the week is essential for consistent and, in some cases, rapid progress. <strong>A student does not need to practice hours on end. In the beginning we recommend 15 to 20 minutes</strong>, 3 days a week. As a student progresses, we encourage 5 days a week. The most important key to practice is spending time with the instrument as often as possible. Students are building a relationship with their instrument, and just like any relationship, as they get to know each other, they will naturally spend more time together. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/100ba004868fcf7f8ccf88f5cf811583dcbc1066/large/screen-shot-2018-02-22-at-3-00-24-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Patience And Music Lessons" /></p><p><strong>Patience is required! </strong></p><p><i>“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” - Leo Tolstoy (Russian Writer) </i></p><p>If it was easy, everyone would do it. The early stages of learning can be frustrating at times. We must understand two important truths: </p><p>1.) Everyone learns at their own pace. </p><p>2.) You will get out what you put in. </p><p><strong>Persist, don’t resist </strong></p><p><i>“You make mistakes, mistakes don’t make you.” - Maxwell Maltz (Surgeon, Author) </i></p><p>It is completely natural to resist those parts of learning that are not immediately gratifying. Reading music, learning scales, playing with a metronome, repeating it all over and over again...these are typically the skills that students resist. Here is what we know: </p><p>1.) You are not alone </p><p>2.) Your teacher went through the same resistance </p><p>3.) Persistence will result in victory </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/ac2486a91cb2d8709ca32ad85860f97068634400/large/s-photo-1424912599891-40e671ad91e3.jpeg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Performance is Key" /></p><p> </p><p><strong>Perform, Perform, Perform </strong></p><p><i>“The wise musicians are those who can play what they master.” - Duke Ellington (Jazz Musician/Composer) </i></p><p>Much like our students, performance comes in all shapes and sizes, all styles, and all skill levels. Whether you have recently mastered your first chords or you have completed a challenging song after weeks of work, we encourage performance. In the beginning, this can be as simple as sitting down and playing for family and friends. Parents, please take the time to sit with your young learners and ask them to demonstrate what they have learned on a weekly or monthly basis. Students can perform at family gatherings as well. We offer monthly jam sessions as an opportunity for students to perform in a band setting with other students. In addition, we offer two Student Showcases so that students can perform on a real stage in front of an audience. Beyond these offerings, we regularly curate performances for charitable and community-related events around Los Angeles. </p><p><i>For more info on our Monthly Jam Click Here</i></p><p><i>For more info on our Student Showcases </i><a class="no-pjax" href="/showcases" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Showcases" contents="Click Here"><i>Click Here</i></a></p><p><strong>Guaranteed Results </strong></p><p>“<i>I’ve always believed if you put in the work, results will come.” - Michael Jordan (Basketball Player) </i></p><p>Studying an instrument is a journey, not a destination. Though many students set out with the goal to master an instrument, the fun and rewarding benefits are in the process. Our teachers are educated musicians and successful performers, songwriters, and instrumentalists from all over the world with a passion for sharing their experience. For them, music has been an unbelievable life-changing vehicle. It brought them from where they were all the way into your home, excited to pass on their knowledge. </p><p>For students that apply the “Five P’s” principle, results are guaranteed. More importantly, your relationship with your teacher—your coach—will provide motivation, encouragement, guidance, and fun week after week, month after month.</p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/50487032018-01-28T15:30:31-08:002021-10-26T02:39:48-07:00Learning to Read Music<p><span class="font_regular">Is it necessary to learn how to read music? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We could easily save everyone the read and just have a one-sentence, one-word article. It would go something like this… </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Yes. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">That would be the end of it. I honestly feel that is how reading written music is treated when it comes to education. There is almost never an explanation. It just is. The equivalent would be when a child asks “why?” and the parent responds, “because I said so.” The belief that music cannot be studied seriously without learning to read is false. This is not an arguable opinion. It is a fact. Many of the musicians responsible for the music that shapes our world, that we listen to day in and day out, have never ventured to acquire the skill of reading notation. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Now, before everyone heads out into the streets to protest, let me say that I myself am a reader. I spent over fifteen years learning to read music at a very high level. At the Berklee College Of Music, I took every additional sight reading class I could. There have been many jobs in my career that I would not have been able to do without this skill. As a professional musician, being able to read truly can be a difference maker. Therefore, I cannot rightfully say that learning to read is not beneficial; it's simply not necessary in order to learn how to play, perform, and enjoy a musical instrument. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ab7055f230b0644f7d49e0e5a2104b7fe8765d68/large/screen-shot-2018-01-28-at-3-33-14-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Reading Musical Notation " /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Music Is A Language</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">In general, everyone can benefit from learning the written language of music. When we look at sheet music, this is the written theoretical expression of what we hear. Music is a full-fledged language, a form of communication older than most of the languages we know. Learning to read music is like learning grammar in school. You can learn to speak orally without formal education, but you will be limited as to what you can learn and certainly limited in what you can express. This is the same with music. A student can learn how to play just from listening, but they will be at a slight disadvantage in certain situations. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/afa00add5bac21aac526c6d4f0892fad96c57033/large/screen-shot-2018-01-28-at-3-46-13-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="The language of music" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>But I Don’t Speak The Language</strong> </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Written music literally crosses all boundaries. It is one language that unites us all. Nearly all instruments read and understand the same symbols. By learning to read on one instrument, a student will inherently gain an understanding of all instruments. Music is also read all over the world by people speaking every kind of language imaginable. If you can read written notation, a verbal language barrier will be bridged. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Skills Versus Talent </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">It is true that some people possess a “gift” or “talent” for learning music. This gift usually stems from a naturally developed ear complemented by a physical capacity for the mechanics of an instrument. These attributes lead some students to do a tremendous amount of “self learning.” Typically these students have a very hard time with learning to read written music. Their ability to play came so quickly that the patience it takes to learn how to read well is nearly impossible to bear. On the other hand, students who struggle with the basics and overcome those early obstacles through diligent hard work usually excel when it comes to reading. For this reason, I encourage these students early on to develop the ability to read. For them, reading is something they can easily see progress in from week to week, while other areas of learning may be less rewarding. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2f1c9903dbacf58454958b788e9c7aa591f8fe82/original/screen-shot-2018-01-28-at-3-32-53-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Must every music student learn how to read? The answer is no. Though learning to read is unquestionably beneficial to any instrumentalist, it truly is not a right or necessary skill during early development for every student. Music is a journey, and learning to read is one of many roads on this journey. The concern is that if a student is pressed to walk down one singular path, they may never begin the journey at all. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We believe that mastery begins with encouragement, the belief that someone <em>can</em>. For some students, this is found in written notes; and for others, it is not. In either case, this simple notion is the all-powerful tool that leads students to success. We start there and let the power of that encouragement empower the student to believe that they can. Once they buy into the idea that they can play an instrument, teachers becomes guides in developing and nurturing the skills necessary for students to express themselves and achieve their goals.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">(By Chris Vazquez, co-owner, SoundLife Music Academy)</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/49672462017-12-07T14:31:07-08:002023-07-13T12:53:32-07:00Music Lessons: How to Monitor Progress<p><span class="text-big"><i><strong>Policing Your Progress: How to Monitor Your Progress and Ensure Success</strong></i></span></p><p>Have you ever heard of a little band called <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.facebook.com/thepolice/" data-link-type="url" contents="The Police">The Police</a>? Gordon Sumner (Sting), Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland forever changed the landscaped of rock-and-roll music by blending Reggae with Punk and writing superbly crafted pop masterpieces. I discovered them as a teenager, as subsequent generations will continue to do. The music instantly grabbed me, but the name was never my favorite. It did not seem very rock-and-roll. Then I asked the question: "What are police? What does the word really mean in our culture?" </p><p> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/495ef9d5683d7de04864eb2a1d57cc03a6e59e92/large/screen-shot-2017-12-07-at-2-14-03-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Being In A Band Helps Monitor Progress" /><br> <br>“Successful people are not those who make all of the right decisions, but those who make their decisions right.” <br> <br>The Police were a band of three individuals holding each other to the highest standards of songwriting, musicianship, and performance. Each member had to be responsible for policing himself to ensure his equal contribution to the greater whole. This is how any great band becomes successful, and no one would ever question the “success” of The Police. We could look at every successful band from The Beatles to Coldplay, and this would certainly be the case. Interestingly, this is also how an individual becomes successful. <br> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/8ae16a24185415f88ad7f59674976646b0d0ef92/large/screen-shot-2017-12-07-at-2-15-40-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /><br>Before we go any further, let’s define “success.” The best definition I have come across reads as follows: “Progressively working toward a worthy ideal.” With this as our definition, policing yourself on your journey—course correcting on the path towards each goal—is the only way forward. As students of music, we have many “successes”, and they are much like a series of checkpoints in a marathon on the way to mastery. We also encounter many setbacks. If we do not police ourselves, then we are limiting our potential. For example, when we practice a song or technique when no one else is around, who ensures that the correct fingerings are being used? Who checks to be sure the parts line up with the music? Who experiments with the material? Who is turning that metronome on and checking the BPM? Well, that would be you…the student…policing yourself. <br> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2b80f2e3fb3f666fae061d0ea0e31535fda57add/original/screen-shot-2017-12-07-at-2-15-02-pm.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> </p><p><br>“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” – Sir Isaac Newton <br> <br>The great men and women of the world surround themselves with greatness. They purposely keep police everywhere around them. This kind of policing comes from those who hold each of us to the highest standard. These people can be parents, friends, family, colleagues, teachers, mentors, celebrities, or artists. They are the ones inspiring, encouraging, disciplining, and molding our minds day in and day out. These police make up the foundation on which we stand. The foundation of any great structure needs to be sound, and in terms of life and music, a strong foundation is built with good character, creativity, expertise, and ambition. We are each the sum of the thoughts in our mind, so it is imperative that we choose our influencers, our police, wisely. <br> <br>The most rock-and-roll thing a person can do is police himself or herself daily and accept criticism and instruction with humility: growing, progressing, and strengthening their skills. Music can be an excellent vehicle to teach and monitor this process for those willing to go the extra mile. We don’t just learn the scale; we also learn the correct fingering and placement. We don’t just play the scale; we play it with a metronome. We don’t just keep the information isolated; we put it into the context of a song. We don’t just learn the song for ourselves; we share it with the world. </p><p> -Chris Vazquez, Director - <a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife Music Academy ">SoundLife Music Academy</a></p><p>Want a free private music lesson? Click Here</p><p>Sign up for our newsletter! Click Here</p><p> </p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/49163952017-11-02T08:00:23-07:002021-11-17T02:45:21-08:00Tom Petty: How to Paint with Words, Melody, and Sound<h3><span class="font_regular"><em>“Me and Del were singin, little Runaway.” </em></span></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f84d892078dfa803482fd3112da9a0089b1dc5ca/medium/screen-shot-2017-11-02-at-10-54-26-am.png?1509634557" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Tom Petty possessed a supernatural ability to make us feel and associate everyday situations in ways that supercede the differences between people. Regardless of our socioeconomic status, we have all driven down the open highway with our lives in front of us. We have all felt a sense of the infinitely possible. Throughout a 40+ year career, Tom Petty never lost his inner child, and with every album and every song, he helped us all get in touch with our own. His music lets us feel frivolous and deep love, high school crushes, first dances, awkward dates, road trips, summer flings, first kisses, heartache, heartbreak, loss, and everything in between. When we sit down to think about life, all we can do is smile—I believe Tom captured those moments in song. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The quote above is from Tom Petty’s timeless classic, “Running Down A Dream.” This line always struck me as odd. It turns out the line, “Me and Del were singin, little Runaway,” is a reference to the <a contents="Del Shannon hit “Runaway,” " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/ziLagAgoPCE">Del Shannon hit “Runaway,” </a>which was released in 1961. This was the same year that an eleven-year-old Tom Petty met Elvis Presley on the set of his movie Follow That Dream. In interviews, <a contents="Tom cites this encounter as the moment his own dream came into focus. " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.netflix.com/title/70082634">Tom cites this encounter as the moment his own dream came into focus. </a>Tom captured this pivotal and inspiring experience in song by painting a picture of himself driving with the top rolled down while singing along with the radio. The song he happens to be singing reminds him of his eleven-year-old self and reaffirms him of the path he is on. Tom is describing the feeling of the great wide open, of glorious possibility, of dreams larger than life. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b0839d442c309579eda7b4b6f00f4a065ede6593/original/screen-shot-2017-11-02-at-10-54-51-am.png?1509634560" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Songs are very much a fabric of our existence. They are storage bins or files, so to speak, that allow us to attach memories to them for safekeeping. Great songwriters know that the exact right combination of chords, melody, and lyrics can perfectly capture and freeze a moment in time, a feeling, or an experience forever. If successful, they will have provided the world a gift in the form of a tool used for remembering or encouraging. If we think about songs as gifts or tools, we become closer to understanding the importance of music and art in our culture. How many times have we put on a song just so we can recall a memory or a feeling? How many times have we sought music for comfort or to express something words alone can not? How many conflicts have songs avoided? How many hearts have been healed? The answer is countless. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a593c716e011957ebea91cabe3bbd9ffcf642908/original/screen-shot-2017-11-02-at-10-55-21-am.png?1509634562" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Tom Petty often described writing as a <a contents="lonely occupation." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-tom-petty-the-final-interview-20171004-story.html">lonely occupation.</a> He would sit in a room alone for hours, sometimes days, waiting for the songs to come. Like fishing, he would have to leave the line in the water until he got a bite. Some days would be fruitful, and others frustrating. In either case, the waiting was the hardest part. Tom would catch as many little fish as he could until the big one came, and then it would take everything he had to pull it into the boat. The moral of this analogy is that Tom spent time, tremendous amounts, dedicated to perfecting his craft. He honed that craft so that when opportunity struck, he had the tools to receive it. We can be sure that Tom Petty wrote plenty of songs in those hours alone that the world will never hear, patiently waiting and perfecting only the best. When the time came to record, it is this process that ensured Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers delivered genuine quality on every single record. Few artists can say the same. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">There are not too many genuine masters out there crafting timeless works of art in the form of song. Tom Petty was a rare breed. We should be grateful for his service, and we should look to his process and consistency for inspiration. The best way to study is to listen and learn, passively and actively, taking note of the simplicity and the honesty. Tom’s integrity may have been his strongest attribute. I wish happy and prosperous fishing to everyone on their journey. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">-Chris Vazquez</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-size: 16.8px;">Co-Owner, Directer - <a contents="SoundLife Music Academy" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">SoundLife Music Academy</a> </span></span></p>
<p> </p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48706192017-09-29T10:02:20-07:002019-10-02T10:23:07-07:00Puerto Rico: How Dreams Create Opportunity <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/25561478f5ae4e4aba64235e5948f5f22cf26169/original/screen-shot-2017-09-29-at-9-57-58-am.png?1506704355" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Generations: How Dreams Create Opportunity </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I was in high school when we learned that my Grandfather had fallen from a ladder in his garage while trying to change a light bulb. He was in his eighties, but he was ambitious and stubborn, both traits that run deep in our family. His name was Julio Vazquez, and despite all odds, he came to United States of America from Puerto Rico during World War II and flourished. My Grandfather passed away shortly after his unexpected fall, and it left the family in a state of shock, especially my Grandmother who was certainly not prepared to lose him. We all flew down to Florida where they had retired, and we began making preparations. While searching through old photos with my Grandmother, I came across one of Grandpa sitting in an open field in Puerto Rico and holding a guitar. He was surrounded by what appeared to be enchanted women, and he wore a smile wider than the size of his face. I pointed at the picture, and Grandma said, “Yes, your Grandpa always wanted to play that thing. It’s underneath the bed. If you want it, you can have it.” </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The guitar was in terrible condition and impossible to play, but it was accompanied by a beautiful strap. To this day, I keep the strap close by, and I think about what it took to give me the opportunities I have had in life. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My Grandfather lost his mother at a very young age. He had two siblings: a sister and a brother. His father could not handle the responsibility, so he gave the children up for adoption. The best we know is that Grandpa was separated from his siblings and he struggled, living in extreme poverty. During the war, he came to the United States to work as a welder at Bethlehem Steel in Baltimore. Without the ability to speak English and without any education, my Grandparents raised three children, all of whom have children of their own who also have children of their own. My Grandmother is now ninety-seven, still alive, healthy, and well taken care of. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">After Grandpa passed, I became dedicated to learning about our heritage and where we came from. It led me to developing a relationship with our Puerto Rican family, many of whom I had never met. It turned out that somehow, the once separated siblings found each other. At a time long before the technology that we now know, my Grandfather and his siblings all found one another and maintained a strong bond. His brother and sister never left Puerto Rico. Many of their children and grandchildren live there to this day, and we are one very large family spread out across the island and the mainland. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4b4ae629c1481d5ee5db107f9614be9661858f25/original/aa9471f1-b80f-4b4c-8dc2-d2a2a1a24bd5.jpg?1506704376" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My family is Puerto Rican. We are proud of our heritage, where we come from, and the sacrifices taken to give us choices in life. Seeing our beautiful homeland ravaged by the hurricane over the past week has been difficult. Not being able to reach family for days has been difficult. Knowing what it will take to repair the damage and restore Puerto Rico to its natural beauty is difficult. But...if there is one thing that I learned from my Grandfather, it is that difficult is not an excuse. It is an opportunity. Puerto Ricans are resilient, hopeful, cheerful, warm, and open people. I have to believe that the events of the last week will lead to a renaissance in Puerto Rico, their culture, and economy. I must have hope beyond what I see because that it is what our family’s history has taught me. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/b1d5374bc0a203d0d865ecbad5718a0332668fcd/original/screen-shot-2017-09-29-at-10-01-04-am.png?1506704501" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The guitar strap reminds me to be grateful, humble, generous, ambitious, and so much more. It reminds me that the dreams one generation worked toward, the next generation continued, and so on down the line. My Grandfather loved music. When he danced, he was the life of the party. From what I have learned, he always wanted to play, but as an orphan, music lessons were not an option. But the spirit of music was passed down in our family. My father became a musician and retired as the chief percussionist of the United States Navy band after twenty-six years of service. It has been ten years since I first moved to Los Angeles to become a musician myself. Since then, the guitar has taken me to stages in over seventy countries spread out over five continents. Today I am blessed to write this article for students, families, friends, and supporters of our very own music school. And it's all thanks to my Grandfather for giving me opportunities and the passion to play music. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48344082017-09-01T08:41:21-07:002020-11-29T21:59:22-08:0010 Easy Ways to Develop Leadership <p><span class="font_large">Leadership is a highly valuable asset. It is not something you beg, borrow, or steal. It isn’t something you can really even talk your way into, and it certainly isn’t something you can fake for very long. No – in fact, leadership can only be truly realized through action. Leaders anticipate and steer around problems. They respond to the situations with solutions. They are aware of their surroundings at all times. An unreliable person cannot be a leader. A person unwilling to stand for their core values and beliefs cannot be a leader. A person unwilling to extend themselves for others cannot be a leader. Leaders inspire by example in how they carry themselves in all that they do. There is no question that we need more true leaders in the world. For musicians and students of <a contents="SoundLife Music Academy" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">SoundLife Music Academy</a>, we have defined 10 easy ways to demonstrate and inspire leadership in the practice room, rehearsal room, on stage, or in the recording studio. Remember, you do not need to be great in order to start, but you do need to start in order to be great. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/94cfff12b109dc5c9178a7bbc6a636039fd28d29/original/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-37-14-am.png?1504280409" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">1. Show up early </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">Yes, it is common sense, yet surprisingly uncommon. By showing up on time, you increase your value significantly with minimal effort. Master timeliness, and you will inspire the same in others. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">2. Come overly prepared </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">The excuses I’ve heard over the years as to why someone could not be prepared range in their level of creativity. “I didn’t have time because of this or that.” “I didn’t have a computer.” “My internet was out.” “I didn’t see or read the email.” “I had a family emergency.” “I don’t work on Mondays.” Here is a golden truth…People want results, not excuses. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">3. Be Gracious </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">Be kind, generous, and thankful, and you will attract the same in return. “If a man can be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.” – Francis Bacon. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ed3682fb4125015a4185eb7f9640417c96f4a223/original/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-37-50-am.png?1504280409" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>4. Empower Others</strong> </span></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. Every musical situation is an opportunity to lift up the people around you. “Hearty in approbation and lavish in praise.” – Dale Carnegie </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">5. Know Your Role </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">The musicians who know how to find their part in the music and service the music rather than themselves are always the busiest players in town. You must know both your role in the song and your role in the band or musical situation. The level of awareness is a priceless leadership quality that is difficult for many. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>6. Be A Team Player</strong> </span></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">On teamwork, Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” If you can work well with others, people from all different backgrounds, from beginners to experts and from children to adults, people will look to you as an example, as a leader. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">7. Bring The Right Stuff </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">How many times have you shown up to the gig/job without the right equipment? It happens to everyone, but not learning from each mistake – that should not be tolerated. As musicians, we have to remember so many things for different gigs, but that’s the job, and professionals always make sure they have what is needed for the job. Set reminders and checklists. They work. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/57c55ced821f524e07d75b6e0220b50e9f408347/original/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-38-43-am.png?1504280411" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">8. Dress The Part </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">It’s all in the suit that you wear. I don’t know how many times artists or managers have sent out dress code information and musicians still showed up to the gig out of dress code. Read the fine print. Save yourself and the rest of the band some serious stress and look over the details before leaving the house. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">9. Confidence, Not Cockiness </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">Confidence can get you to the top. Cockiness is believing that you’re already there. It is impossible to teach the person who already knows everything. A true leader wants to always be better and learn from everyone. For this person, cockiness is not an option, for it alienates everyone. </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">10. Be An Asset </span></strong></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">The person who cannot learn, apply, and manifest the things on this list is a questionable liability. The person who can is an asset to anyone. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173552017-08-07T11:10:00-07:002023-07-13T13:17:26-07:00How to Set and Achieve Your Goals<p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><strong>Game Plan: How to Set and Achieve Your Goals! </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">Music lessons are an incredible vehicle for learning how to make massive change through massive action. We cannot simply sign up to learn something and then expect our results. There is more to it. With the school year right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to share how I game plan for myself and for students of </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife"><span class="text-big">SoundLife</span></a><span class="text-big">. Here are five steps to get motivated and stay on track towards your goals. In each title I have added a link to additional helpful content that support each of these steps.</span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-big"><i><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4bafd5256f5d40bedf5cf7b36d423a90d5ff036a/large/teacher-bg.jpg?1501995174" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></strong></i></span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_90.htm" data-link-type="url" contents="Define Your Goals&nbsp;"><span class="text-big"><i><strong>Define Your Goals </strong></i></span></a></p><p><span class="text-big">In the very first lesson, I always ask students what they want to accomplish. Most students will look at me funny as if I must not know why I’m in their home. “Well, to learn how to play guitar, of course.” This answer is simply not enough. To achieve goals, we must first define them. Ask a few questions to help bring these goals to the surface. Why am I playing this instrument? What do I want to be able to do with this instrument? What kind of music do I like? What songs do I want to learn?” To be successful, we must be personally invested. Before the second lesson, students are asked to have a list of songs that they want to learn. </span></p><p> </p><p><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c439b73625da1914fb9dd9561bfd0e2a795e60c4/large/20759937-272803926538137-2796673344974356480-n.jpg?1502989550" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-create-an-action-plan-to-achieve-your-goals-1794129" data-link-type="url" contents="Action Plan"><span class="text-big"><i><strong>Action Plan</strong></i></span></a><span class="text-big"><i><strong> </strong></i></span></p><p><span class="text-big">Once a student has their list of songs, we must analyze this music for the required skills necessary to learn each song. In this stage, we will define what chords, scales, and techniques need to be learned in order to achieve our goal. We will prioritize this list of songs by the level of difficulty and create an action plan for acquiring the tools with the end goal in mind. For example, Susie’s song has three sections: a verse, a chorus, and a bridge. Each section has four chords. In total there are eight different chords. Susie already knows four of them. Susie will need to learn four new chords. The song is at 120 beats-per-minute, so she will need to be able to move from one chord to the next in that amount of time. You can see where this is going. As a teacher, breaking this down is my job. I help create the action plan and give the student clear, achievable goals that will ensure their success. </span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="http://iamsignificant.ca/success-with-significance/measurable-outcomes-keep-us-on-target/" data-link-type="url" contents="Measurable Results"><span class="text-big"><i><strong>Measurable Results</strong></i></span></a><span class="text-big"><i><strong> </strong></i></span></p><p><span class="text-big">We must be able to measure our progress or we will lose focus, get lost in the process, eventually lose interest, and ultimately shortchange ourselves of something truly rewarding. Do not make goals without specific instructions as to how the goal will be achieved. Within the action plan I design with students, I include very specific targets. Susie does not just need to learn “new” chords. She needs to have “G, C, D, and E minor memorized by next Thursday, August 3, 2017.” When the task has been accomplished, we make sure to acknowledge the victory before continuing on. In this way, we have measured the results and can have proof of our progress. </span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/the-power-of-language-to-influence-thought-and-action/" data-link-type="url" contents="The Power Of Language&nbsp;&nbsp;"><span class="text-big"><strong>The Power Of Language </strong> </span></a></p><p><span class="text-big">In the lesson, we have a few important ground rules. First of all, the word “can’t” and “cannot” have no place and are therefore forbidden. Language is a very powerful tool, and the quickest way to fail is to count yourself out before ever trying. The mantra needs to be: “Through clearly defined goals and consistent action, I can do anything.” </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/eca06a1298780c645427ca1cd622b5bd8e37541c/large/10013229-10100148500066679-1895910691-n.jpg?1502989931" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.keepinspiring.me/why-you-need-to-set-goals/" data-link-type="url" contents="Reasons"><span class="text-big"><i><strong>Reasons</strong></i></span></a><span class="text-big"><i><strong> </strong></i></span></p><p><span class="text-big">Built into our program at SoundLife are “reasons” to do things by specific given dates. Our Student Showcases and community events put participating students in a position to succeed by creating reasons to be consistent in action. If they do not do A, B, and C by this date, then they will not be prepared to perform in front of their parents and peers. Okay, that sounded more terrifying than it needed to. The point is that in this example, the reasons for working hard are plenty. Students want to feel confident, so they often over-prepare. They do not want to be embarrassed. They want to make their parents proud. They remember what they did in the previous performance and want to challenge themselves more. These are just a few “reasons.” When making an action plan, we need to know what our reasons for reaching our goals are. School performances, recitals, show and tell, personal expression...these are all very good reasons to get your butt in gear. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Lastly, never be afraid to recalibrate. On the path to achieving goals, we all lose our way from time to time. I will check back in with my students if I feel we’ve gotten off track, and we will reset the path. There is no limit to the number of times we can reset this path, just as long as we make sure we’re still headed in the right direction. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">-Chris Vazquez</span></p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173542017-07-24T11:10:00-07:002023-07-13T13:37:54-07:00A Simple Fun Approach to Learning the Drums<p><span class="text-huge"><strong>Shape Beats for Kids: A Simple and Fun Approach to Learning the Drums </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">We recently sat down with drummer, instructor, and author Tim Carman to discuss his new instruction book, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Beats-Kids-Approach-Learning/dp/1470636743" data-link-type="url" contents="Shape Beats For Kids: A Simple and Fun Approach To Learning Drums"><span class="text-big">Shape Beats For Kids: A Simple and Fun Approach To Learning Drums</span></a><span class="text-big">, published by Alfred Music. Tim has been teaching with SoundLife Music Academy for the last few years, incorporating many of the book’s concepts into his lessons. So, naturally, we thought it was an important achievement worth sharing with the SoundLife family. </span></p><p> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ea31e5316f2880e43ba5d21770b04609b1eca211/large/screen-shot-2017-07-24-at-1-04-00-pm.png?1502993210" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>Tim, can you give our readers a little insight into your educational background? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">I started early on with jazz studies in high school. Then I received my Bachelor’s degree in music history from Hamilton College in New York. After that I went on to receive a certificate in drum performance from </span><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.berklee.edu" data-link-type="url" contents="Berklee College Of Music in Boston, MA"><span class="text-big">Berklee College Of Music in Boston, MA</span></a><span class="text-big">. This certificate program is two-years long, and during that time I studied with world-renowned drummers including Dave Dicenso, Kim Plainfield, Gary Chaffee, Steve Langone, Jackie Santos, and Bob Gullotti. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>And after schooling, how have you used your education professionally?</strong> </span></p><p><span class="text-big">I started working in the Boston area while still studying at Berklee. I taught private lessons through a company called </span><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.aydm.com/" data-link-type="url" contents="At Your Door Musi"><span class="text-big">At Your Door Musi</span></a><span class="text-big">c. This company was very similar to SoundLife in the sense that I was teaching in-home lessons and traveling all around Boston. I continued studying after school, playing locally in the Boston area, and touring nationally. My wife (then fiancé) was accepted into a pre-med program in Los Angeles, and having always wanted to live there, we made the move from Boston. Berklee’s networking opportunities helped me to start working fairly quickly. I know both you and Mike (SoundLife co-owner) also went to Berklee as well. I started playing locally in the Los Angeles area, covering many styles of music. Berklee prepared me well. I am currently working in a jazz quartet, a jam band, an alternative rock band, and a southern rock soul band. I’m also working consistently in the studio with various original projects. </span></p><p> </p><p><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/7363d7baa4a0453421447a900dee56c70fe68ea4/large/screen-shot-2017-07-24-at-1-10-28-pm.png?1502993238" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>It sounds like you have your hands full. What gave you the idea for a book like this? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">I started teaching drum lessons at seventeen years old, and I was seeing younger and younger kids playing instruments. I was also seeing many kids with disabilities studying. It was out of necessity that I started looking at different ways to view written music. I wanted to find something that anyone could recognize and interpret quickly. Eventually I decided to use shapes for the different drums. A triangle became the hit-hat. A circle became the bass drum. And a square became the snare drum. I perfected this system over time. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">I was fortunate enough to study under world-renowned author and jazz drummer, Gary Chaffee, while living in Boston. Gary taught Vinnie Colaiuta, JR Robinson, Joey Kramer, Steve Smith, and many other drum legends. He is also the former head of the percussion department at Berklee College of Music. While studying with Gary, his six-year-old grandson took interest in the drums and wanted to take lessons. Gary, who was very busy at the time, asked if I would teach his young grandson. This is where the book was really born. Gary encouraged me to develop the shape concept, and he put me in touch with Dave Black, the president of the drum department at Alfred Publishing. After six months of lessons with Gary, I moved to Los Angeles, but the ball had already started rolling. I worked on the book from August of 2015 until its release in February of 2017. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>The Shape Concept seems like an interesting learning tool. Could you explain it a bit for our readers? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">The book starts with an introduction to the hi-hat, snare drum, and bass drum, having the student play each drum alone while saying the corresponding shape out loud. As the book progresses, the student learns how to play two drums at the same time while counting out loud, learns about the concept of a rest, and, in the last chapter, is introduced to standard drum notation. Each chapter of the book contains coordination exercises and play-along suggestions for the newly learned beats. Shape Beats is intended to be a fun introduction to the drums that will allow the students to read their first drum beats and play along to popular songs of the last few decades almost immediately. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>This method could certainly be beneficial to our readers and drum students. What type of student is the book intended for? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">Originally the book was intended for children and students with disabilities, but I have found that adults enjoy using the same mechanism as well. It truly is a great method to get students of any age to start playing the drums right away. I would recommend ages 4 and up. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>Where can people find Shape Beats For Kids? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">You can get it on Alfred’s website and on Amazon. It sells for $15.99 and comes with an audio CD. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>And what are your personal goals for this book? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">My aim is to make drumming accessible to anyone who wants to learn, especially young children. I want to help them play immediately and help them play with music in time so that they are participating in the experience of music from a young age. They learn to play a beat from the book and then connect it with something real. I also hope to inspire students with learning disabilities to engage in music education, and I hope this book provides students and teachers with a system that is helpful and fun. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>Those are great goals, and </strong></span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundlifelessons.com/" data-link-type="url" contents="SoundLife"><span class="text-big"><strong>SoundLife</strong></span></a><span class="text-big"><strong> is on board with all of it! Do you have plans to continue creating educational literature for young students?</strong> </span></p><p><span class="text-big">I have plenty more material for a second Shape Beats book, a Volume II if you will. Recently I also started working on a drum book for more advanced students using systems to develop coordination and vocabulary in various styles of music. </span></p><p><span class="text-big"><strong>Other than those books that you’re working on, what else is up next for Tim Carman? </strong></span></p><p><span class="text-big">I plan to continue teaching, performing, writing, and sharing music with as many people as possible. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Thank you for sharing your story with us, Tim. We can’t wait to get ourselves a copy of Shape Beats For Kids. </span></p><p><span class="text-big">-----</span></p><p><span class="text-big">Chris Vazquez </span></p><p><span class="text-big">Director / Co-Owner </span></p><p><span class="text-big">P: 323-825-9566 </span></p><p><span class="text-big">E: info@soundlifelessons.com </span></p><p><span class="text-big">W: www.soundlifelessons.com</span></p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173512017-06-18T11:05:00-07:002020-11-27T17:10:15-08:00When to Upgrade Your Instrument<p><span class="font_large">The creative mind can be hard to pin down. With the endless daydreaming and limitless sense of possibility, there’s no telling how connected a student’s abilities are to their ideas. As a parent watching your child gain increased skill on his or her instrument, it is natural to want to support this growth. The problem lies in the labyrinth of tools available between the Internet and the closest music store. How do you know when it’s time for a new instrument or new accessories for the instrument a student already has? This is a tricky question. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bce0efff1ea400ae662fcdf517b3d6246a27b37a/large/13394171-10153945244612740-873871069421842118-n.jpg?1502993030" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">At this moment, SoundLife Music Academy is going through a transition. We have, at different times, been forced to purchase, learn, or invest time in various endeavors as a result of our growth. This is a natural process. In the last few months, it became increasingly clear that we have outgrown our current operating system and that it is time for an update. If we do not update, then our growth will exceed our means to succeed. This impedes our progress and could set us back if we are not careful. In our situation, the solution is purchasing and learning how to use a new instrument...in this case, software. We need something that will leave space to grow. I want to emphasize that phrase: space to grow. Our next step cannot just bring us up to speed. It has to be something we can grow into. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">When I was a young student, I started on a rental acoustic guitar. Now guitars are so inexpensive that purchasing a quality beginner guitar is very affordable and should not cost more than $100. The same goes with a beginner keyboard, bass, microphone, or practice pad. We at SoundLife offer recommendations for all of these that are cost effective, but will still leave space for students to grow. Some of our students are fortunate enough to start on professional level instruments. This leaves an enormous amount of room to grow on the instrument, but with all instruments, there are also many tools or accessories to consider as well. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c21103d81db3145d3c0a74f393daa8296404aac5/large/the-bernstein-bears.jpg?1502993080" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">After one year, my parents bought me my first electric guitar. I still have it hanging on my wall to this day. It wasn’t much, but I loved it. The next step was to play until my fingers bled. The instrument, with the amplifier, strap, and tuner, likely cost around $200. With this, I had room to grow, but I wasn’t playing on a pro-level guitar by any stretch of the imagination. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">As I grew older, my instruments grew with me. Eventually I bought professional equipment, which has travelled all over the world with me, but even now I still have to upgrade certain things every so often. The next phase of growth always comes by demand. To parents of music students, I suggest periodically asking your instructor where they feel the student is at and what might help. It can also be very fun to do research online about the instrument your child is studying. If your child is a guitar student, you will find an endless world of tools including amplifiers, pedals, picks, straps, cables, and more. The same goes for any other instrument. If you can spare a small amount of time learning a bit before your child does, then this can be something to share together. In between new instruments, something as small as a guitar strap or some new strings can go a long way in keeping students in line with the work they’re putting in. We are here to help advise on our student’s progress and recommend the proper tools at the proper time. This journey is something we are in together. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173492017-06-15T10:55:00-07:002020-11-27T17:23:25-08:00Constructive Criticism for Successful Performances<h4><span class="font_large"><strong>Post Mortem Jukebox </strong></span></h4>
<p><span class="font_large">I know what you’re thinking…Did I read that correctly? Did he mean Postmodern Jukebox, the YouTube sensation that creates swing and jazz versions of popular songs? Has Chris lost his mind? No, my mind is intact, at least as far as I can tell. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My wife is a branded content producer, and in production, she often uses the term “Post-Mortem.” In her world, it refers to the period after a production when the whole team sits down to discuss what went right, what went wrong, and what could be done better. I've never really liked the term, for obvious reasons, but I've always liked the idea. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c1661b45a592dd3d3122924478cf10facc164a4e/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-59-26-am.png?1502992796" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large">On May 21, 2017 our students took to the stage at our annual Spring Student Showcase. There is no question that all of our performers were brave, determined, hardworking, and talented. Taking that stage isn’t easy. A significant amount of preparation goes into each performance, and when the moment comes, they only get one chance. Doesn’t that sound terrifying? Sometimes things go perfectly, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes we think they’ve gone perfectly, but in retrospect, we find mistakes. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Part of the post-mortem process is having the right frame of mind to be critical without being overly critical. Parents can help their children with this. The first step is accepting that no performance is flawless. In accepting this, we must also accept that flawless is not our goal and that a performance with flaws is not inherently bad. I can pull out classic records filled with mistakes that are beautiful and perfect in their imperfection. The second step is to focus on the attitude, the fun, the fear, the progress, the process, the preparation, and the anticipation...even on the fun of picking out an outfit for the stage. These emotions and experiences are what create a successful performance. More than anything else, our mindset will separate success from perceived failure. No one will ever appreciate or value us enough. If we rely on praise, competition, or accolades to give us validation, we will wind up disappointed. These things are far too temporary. Instead, we must know deep inside our own journey and be proud of ourselves. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/e6dc4d1e5d6affabd0c440a7a910e9432496607a/large/img-2241.jpg?1502992887" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">After every concert that SoundLife Music Academy does, my wife, who put things together for a living, will always tell me little ways we can improve the organization of our event. Then our team will get together and go through the post-mortem process and talk about how to make the next concert even better. At first, because these events are so close to my heart, I am defensive, mainly because I don’t want to be faced with what could be better. I’m sure many of our students can relate to this feeling. It’s okay, as long as we push past this defensiveness to understand that we can always learn and improve. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In the next few weeks, we will share video footage and photographs from our Student Showcase with students and their families. In weekly lessons, we will view these videos and think about what went right and what could be better. Those moments, the good and bad, cannot be changed, but the future...well, that is yet to be written.</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173222017-04-17T10:55:00-07:002020-11-27T17:22:44-08:00The Magic in Music Lessons<h3>
<span class="font_large"><strong>The Allure of Being a Performer</strong></span><br> </h3>
<p><span class="font_large">It was never about any amount of fame or fortune, exotic travels, or even a particular type of magic. When I was just a young boy, my mother bought me a magic kit. Inside that kit was everything that one needed to be a master magician. There was a top hat, a cape, a magic wand, and a cardboard folding stage. There were also accessories, like a stuffed rabbit, playing cards, and red foam balls. I’m sure that somewhere in the box there were also instructions and maybe a dove or two. I wouldn’t know because I never made it that far. I didn’t have the interest or discipline to read instructions or practice the craft of magic. I just wanted to be a magician, and at that age, all it took was the cape, hat, and magic wand. In my mind, I was <a contents="Houdini" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Houdini">Houdini</a> performing for hundreds of people a day in the streets of various European cities. My audience stood silent in suspended disbelief wondering how I could do such impossible things. <br><br>My mother may have regretted this gift after weeks of seeing my one-man show every day, multiple times a day, especially since I had no idea what I was doing. But, sure as the sun rises, she clapped like it was the first time every time. I would pack up my magic kit and take it to family gatherings, birthday parties, social events at the office, and any other place I could find to share my show. These are my first memories of being a performer. They’ve stood the test of time, and though life has limited the imagination in many ways, I can still look back and remember the master magician. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ece8a108e778b0d9b30ce9f5c6ba1041891737f9/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-56-25-am.png?1502992615" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><strong>Imagination</strong></span><br> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">For me it was all about performing. It was about entertaining people, bringing a smile to their faces, and taking them away from the ever-present “Father Time.” Many years after my stint as a magician, I began to take up the art of being a musician. By now I was aware that actual skill was required to captivate an audience, but still, I gravitated to the fantasy before the reality. I set up my Mother’s mirror in the bedroom just behind my amplifier, turned on the stereo, and took the stage for tens of thousands. For a long time, this was what I would race home from school to do. Again, this had nothing to do with learning the instrument. It was something separate and something much more powerful. It was <a contents="imagination" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-daydreaming/200907/how-music-feeds-and-steers-your-imagination">imagination</a>. Those experiences taught me that true possibility must first exist in the mind as a form of belief, and only then can actions be taken to turn that spark into a fire. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2dc57de2ef3fc8891cfe500c1461205ad5310c29/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-36-42-am.png?1502991478" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<h4>
<span class="font_large"><strong>Learning to Live the Fantasy </strong></span><br> </h4>
<p><span class="font_large">It took two years of <a contents="guitar lessons" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons">guitar lessons</a> before I really became excited about playing the instrument. For those two years, I spent most of my time in fantasy. Fast forward almost fifteen years later, and what is my job now? Well, it’s complicated. But at the core, I am that magician performing in the living room...only now I know all of the tricks. Next week I will take the stage with the band <a contents="Air Supply" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.airsupplymusic.com/">Air Supply</a> for a handful of shows, filling in for a friend and mentor of mine. This band has generations of fans spanning thirty-five years that know and love their music. Part of what is exciting about performing is seeing and feeling how impactful and important certain music is for listeners. For “fans” of Air Supply, hearing that music live is a transcendent experience, and for me, being a part of that process is the most rewarding aspect of playing music. It takes me right back to my Mother’s living room and brings a smile to my soul. Of course my Mother will be at the show, and I imagine it will bring a smile to hers as well. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span></p>
<p> </p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173212017-03-29T10:50:00-07:002020-11-27T17:19:52-08:003 Steps to Preparing for a Successful Audition<p><a contents="Blake, Adam, Alicia,&nbsp;and Gwen&nbsp;are waiting….&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nbc.com/the-voice"><span class="font_large">Blake, Adam, Alicia, and Gwen are waiting…. </span></a></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Part of knowing what school activities students will participate in comes down to “tryouts” or even the dreaded “audition.” School bands, orchestras, ensembles, choirs, plays, and musicals will usually hold their auditions within the first few weeks of class. For some students, auditions can be a terrifying concept. “You mean I’m just going to stand there and play for a nearly empty room of people sitting at a table??!!!” Yes. That’s exactly what’s going to happen. This could be where fingernail biting originates. The good news is that the same audition process used in grade school is also used in every professional setting. Check out some of the benefits that come with being involved in auditions at a young age by <a contents="clicking here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://auditions.com/blog/industry-advice/why-acting-is-beneficial-for-kids/">clicking here</a>. The experience gained from taking music and arts auditions and participating in athletic tryouts will have an unquestionably positive effect on a student’s success during job interviews. After all, success in these situations comes from confidence, and confidence comes from experience. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">"How do you prepare for an audition? How do you calm your nerves? What do you perform?" </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Calm down. Take a deep breath. We can help with all of this, and so can you.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/5abed3a6a98c840c14a4f156d9090e7a61c75e6a/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-52-02-am.png?1502992416" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><br><em><strong>Step one: Research </strong></em><br><br>Contact the music director at your school prior to school starting and ask when and what auditions will be taking place for the upcoming fall semester. You should also ask if they have any recommended audition materials and what will be evaluated in the audition. Write this information down and see if the music director can send it all over in an email. The next step is to give our office a call or your private lesson instructor and forward the information over. We will take a look at everything, discuss with your family’s instructor, and come up with a game plan to prepare the student for the audition. At the next lesson, we will choose an audition piece and introduce the student to any supplemental information that may be required for the audition, like scales, chords, or techniques. Typical preparation should take three to four lessons depending on the difficulty of the material and how much practice the student is putting in. </span></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Step Two: Practice</strong></em><br><br>Practice is the obvious difference maker. Check out what Harvard says about the importance of <a contents='"Practice."' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.harvardbusiness.org/blog/importance-practice-%E2%80%93-and-our-reluctance-do-it">"Practice."</a> Remember that although success comes from confidence and experience, the quality of the experience is dependent on preparation. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/def2d2e612bdf75acc081d960458cdaf685228a1/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-52-19-am.png?1502992415" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><em><strong>Step Three: Perform</strong></em><br><br>As soon as the audition piece is performable, the student should perform the piece for parents, friends, and family in as many settings as possible. One fun thing to do is to simulate the entire audition. Set up chairs at the far end of the room and act like judges for your child. Maybe even get a few friends involved. Then at the end, critique the audition American Idol style. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ce0029bb9ac07f57fad4964753154881b7dbe9cb/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-52-59-am.png?1502992417" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><br><em><strong>Conclusion: Let go of the results</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">The process can be fun and rewarding. The most important thing to remember is that it’s about the journey and not the destination. Learning to let go of the results is priceless. <a contents="This article" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://herohealthroom.com/2014/05/01/let-go/">This article</a> discuses the tremendous health benefits of letting go of the outcome. Of course we would all like our students and children to win every audition, place first, get all A’s, go to Harvard, become astronauts, and discover sustainable life in another galaxy. Okay, maybe that’s too far. The point is that students put a lot of heart and emotion into auditioning, and no matter the outcome, they are gaining tools that they did not have prior to the process. They should be proud, and so should their parents. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">If there are any music auditions available to students in their school or community, we encourage participation. Please contact us and let us know how we can help. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173202017-03-21T10:50:00-07:002020-11-12T15:20:47-08:00How Can Music Teach Teamwork?<p style="text-align: center;"><br><span class="font_large"><strong>COME TOGETHER</strong></span></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">“We’re on each other’s team.” These words cut through the noise of a typical day in Los Angeles traffic, traveling from student to student, rehearsal to gig, apartment to the grocery store and back again. With a flare for the dramatic, Lorde’s smash hit <a contents="“TEAM”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_(Lorde_song)">“TEAM”</a> resonates with me. Over the last two months many SoundLife Music Academy students prepared for a concert. They memorized songs, structures, and instrumental parts. They practiced passages that at one time may have seemed impossible. They learned melodies and memorized lyrics. After weeks of preparing, like most daunting tasks, the time came when they played from a place of confidence, poise, and certainty. This moment is by far my favorite to experience. Sometimes it does not occur until they are on stage, and for those who don’t find discipline to practice or the motivation to excel, it may not happen. Lorde’s song reminds me that all of these students spread out over this vast city are all on each other’s team. Though many of them never meet, they all have music in common. They share language and experience. In the context of a concert they are motivating, inspiring, challenging, and sharing with one another. They are a TEAM. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/07cc8a34552c58cec1e87be03946c73236a2dce0/large/promo-voice.jpg?1501976599" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Part of putting on a concert for SoundLife Music Academy is grouping students together to perform in bands. Long before they ever enter the rehearsal room they are given individual parts, and we perfect those parts out of context. We imagine that there is a band and we prepare accordingly. Then, just before the concert, we put together a rehearsal. In some cases the students are family or friends, but in other cases the students have never met one another. They walk in and suddenly they are in a band. Their parts will now fit into the wider puzzle that is a song, and they get to feel that power of individuals creating music together as one. The students do not know anything about one another. They only know the language, the goal, and what is necessary to achieve the goal. For the students, who suddenly are elevated to musicians, a performance with a band is much like a sport. Win as a team, lose as a team. When the band takes the stage and performs for their parents and peers, it’s game on; and when they reach the end and know they have each done their job at the highest level capable, it is a team win. Check out what <a contents='"Music For All"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.musicforall.org/who-we-are/advocacy/why-music-why-band">"Music For All"</a> says about the importance of this process.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f2938c686d03c2357692d15bcc07a850fb8a0364/large/band-page.png?1502662026" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Studying an instrument has many benefits beyond the physical aspect of playing an instrument. <a contents="Check out this scientific study." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.effectivemusicteaching.com/articles/directors/18-benefits-of-playing-a-musical-instrument/">Check out this scientific study.</a> Learning any instrument increases the capacity of your memory, refines your time management and organizational skills, teaches perseverance, enhances your coordination, increases your responsibility, sharpens your concentration, fosters self-expression, relieves stress, creates a sense of achievement, promotes social skills, instills discipline, and most importantly, it promotes happiness in your life and the life of those around you. Performance is the glue that solidifies all of these benefits, bringing them to the surface for all to see. Team skills become most evident and are a very important aspect of being successful in life outside of music. Playing an instrument requires you to work with others to make music. In band or orchestra settings you must learn how to cooperate with the people around you. In order for a group to make beautiful music, each player and section must learn how to listen to each other. I often will tell students, “I’m on your team.” Meaning I want you to succeed. In music, we are truly all on each other’s team. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span><br><br>Chris Vazquez is the co-owner and director of SoundLife Music Academy, a Los Angeles based in-home music school offering private lessons on all instruments in the comfort and convenience of home. Mr. Vazquez has performed with Air Supply, Leona Lewis, Kenny Lattimore, Anthony Evans, JoJo, and many other notable artists.</p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48173192017-03-14T10:45:00-07:002020-11-27T17:10:47-08:00Music Teaches Harmony<p><span class="font_large">Music is harmony; it is a universal public good that knows no boundaries. In the wake of tragedies both in France and Lebanon, along with the almost weekly news on domestic threats, I cannot help but feel helpless. What are we, those with creative skills, to do? How can we express harmony when there is so much dissonance? Politics are not something I will discuss in these articles, nor will I discuss religion. But, I would like to talk about harmony and its vibrant unquestionable truth. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/56c465278829efe14a1e00066cea1c88f0b0abf2/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-43-19-am.png?1502991865" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><br>The word harmony is defined as "a combination of simultaneously sounded notes to produce chords having a pleasing effect." This is the proper musical definition of the word. Outside of music the word is defined as "a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts." Throughout my studies I have always been fascinated with the concept of harmony. I have taken years of music theory, diving further and further down the rabbit hole. The way music works, the laws that govern the pleasing and memorable songs of our lives is beyond beautiful. It is perfect. As previously stated, a combination of simultaneously sounded notes producing a pleasing effect is a chord, and a chord is one piece to harmony. A chord is most often built of three individual, but specific, notes. When played together we perceive these notes as pleasant, or harmonious. If we put one chord after another, we have a progression, which is also considered harmony. On top of our progression we add what is called melody, and this too is part of the larger picture, which is harmony. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/bc0a4eeb36f776939010535960c82d461c5ccc31/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-43-58-am.png?1502991865" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">A full symphony orchestra consists of anywhere from 70-100 musicians. These musicians can all be playing together, on different instruments, in different time signatures, reading different clefs, and still…still…be playing together, in harmony with one another. In 1909 Gustav Mahler composed Symphony No.8 in E Flat Major, which is often referred to as “Symphony of a Thousand.” This piece has over a thousand musicians and singers all performing together in harmony. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/aa68d3ca50773d76ea2a00c03daa97f4de6c3f7a/large/10356360-1432120620382925-4917077036933094660-n.jpg?1502991945" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Music is a universal language, spoken by few, but understood by all. It does not have borders. It is perfect, and the example that it sets in its perfection should not be overlooked. With that said, it is also just a vehicle. Music cannot exist without the human spirit. With that spirit, it can soar over the seas and into people's hearts. It can unite, and it can heal people, cities, countries, and nations. For students and parents alike, the simple songs of popular culture, past and present, are socially and culturally profound in ways we may not even know. Simply put, the skill to play an instrument or song is important. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172762017-03-06T10:40:00-08:002020-11-27T17:19:23-08:00Can Playing Music Really Be a Job?<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Around The World </strong><br><br>I have to ask myself the question, “What is real life?” Two days after returning from Barcelona I hopped on a plane to play shows in Chattanooga and Atlanta before returning to Los Angeles to teach and prepare the school for the Christmas season. Life as a musician is more surreal than it is real. In the last eight years I have been to Japan, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, Portugal, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, and countless cities in the United States. These trips were not vacations, but rather “work.” It seems impossible to call strumming a guitar work, but once someone puts a price on it and you begin to rely on that price to support the life you’re living, it is very much work. These travels are beyond the dreams I had as a young student. The world of possibilities music can offer someone is truly limitless. </span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/a7386c69dd26902ce6e56f91f36f22f848127f06/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-40-37-am.png?1502991658" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><span class="font_large"><strong>State Of Mind</strong><br><br>As time has gone by, I have changed my tune about the profession of being a musician. When I was in my early 20’s, I considered the instrument a part of me and took everything about it very seriously. Now, I considered it an extension and a vehicle. I find this view to be much more beneficial to me personally. The study of my instrument has been a vehicle that has taken me out of my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, a place people rarely have the opportunity to leave. The same vehicle took me to Boston for my education and then to California to find my place in the world. In between then and now I have seen so much of the world, and every time I pull the guitar out to prepare music, I have to say a little prayer of thanks just to have had any one of these opportunities.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/4837aac04676f9a69711958f9334ddaddc264e7d/original/1463770-10152052809861031-1288042448-n.jpg?1502991698" class="size_orig justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><strong>Setting Goals And Building Dreams</strong></span></p>
<p><br><span class="font_large">When we work to achieve anything in life, we have to consider the long game and the short game. For students, the short game is each week’s assignment. The short game is the present moment and by far the most important game being played, for it establishes the foundation. The long game is where you want the short game to take you. I encourage students to take time and think about where they want to go with music. It doesn’t have to be around the world. It could simply be playing a local venue or house party or a song for your Mother on her birthday. It could truly be anything, but goals give direction and directions get us to our destination. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez<br><br>Chris Vazquez is the co-owner and director of SoundLife Music Academy, a Los Angeles based in-home music school offering private lessons on all instruments in the comfort and convenience of home. Mr. Vazquez has performed with Air Supply, Leona Lewis, Kenny Lattimore, Anthony Evans, JoJo, and many other notable artists. </span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172732017-02-23T10:35:00-08:002021-11-14T17:52:16-08:00How Important Encouragement Can Be...<p><span class="font_large">Who's In Your Corner? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Yes, it’s true…I am getting married in just a few days. In trying to decide what to write for this month's feature amidst wedding planning, touring, and teaching; an overwhelming sense of encouragement came over me. The number of people it takes to put a wedding together is astronomical. The number of people it takes to build a musician is far greater. This month we’re going to talk about a musician’s support system and how important it is to encourage artistic endeavors, creative thinking, discipline, and a limitless imagination. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2fd5ff2273cb58f6ad021966a638802c904a522f/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-35-48-am.png?1502991449" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><br>It is true that musicians are often some of the most insecure individuals on the planet. Often this insecurity stems from the competitive nature of playing an instrument at a high level combined with the uncertain future a professional musician faces. For me, cultivating a circle of friends, family and mentors that are focused, encouraging, ambitious, and supportive people in their own lives has truly made the difference in providing a strong foundation to build my career on. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Throughout the learning process in any field, there are many humps that a student must get over to see the rewards for their effort. As a beginner those rewards could be a simple as “Mary Had A Little Lamb” or a first chord. Rewarding these early accomplishments is essential to developing the momentum needed to continue flourishing on your instrument. Reflect on the age-old question “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear, does it make a noise?” I can tell you that no, the tree does not make a noise. If you are a parent with a student who is learning to play an instrument and you do not participate in the experience by listening to them practice or following up on the lessons with the teacher and encouraging them then they will not know how vital and important their skill is. We are all aware that as we get older, less and less people are around to pat you on the back. Of course we have to learn to be able to pat ourselves on the back, but this lesson is very important for students of all ages who are just starting the process. Even if you are not a parent, but know a student through family friends who is learning to play, take a moment to encourage them. </span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/2dc57de2ef3fc8891cfe500c1461205ad5310c29/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-10-36-42-am.png?1502991478" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">I am tremendously excited to marry the best partner that I could ever imagine for me. She is my constant support system. Beyond Kristen, I have my parents and extended family that have always supported my endeavors to climb any mountain I choose. Beyond family, I have my circle of friends who have been carefully chosen for a variety of positive, constructive, and of course supportive character traits. There is no success that I have ever known that would have been possible without the right people in my corner. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez<br><br>Chris Vazquez is the co-owner and director of SoundLife Music Academy, an in-home music school that sends professional musicians to teach on-on-one music lessons in the comfort of student's homes. Chris is also a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has worked as a guitarist for Air Supply, Leona Lewis, Anthony Evans, and many more. </span></p>
<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->
<link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<style type="text/css">
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
</style>
<div id="mc_embed_signup">
<form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" method="post" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" class="validate" target="_blank" novalidate>
<div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label>
<input type="email" value="" name="EMAIL" class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required>
<!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->
<div style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;" aria-hidden="true"><input type="text" name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input type="submit" value="Subscribe" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" class="button"></div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
<!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172422017-02-15T10:15:00-08:002020-11-27T17:18:52-08:00How to Practice Stage Presence...<p><strong><span class="font_large">"Rockstar with an Air Guitar" </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In a time when attention spans are shrinking by the day, young musicians often miss out on the power of the air guitar. Long before any real playing is done there is this powerful concept called air guitar. You are the star. The world is your stage. And when no one is looking, the instrument becomes a vehicle to another world entirely. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/ab327283477dbc3c8e85de73fe3a3c410aa49a33/large/525440-3519560596604-547612189-n.jpg?1502990070" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">As a young student taking <a contents="guitar lessons" data-link-label="Guitar Lessons" data-link-type="page" href="/guitar-lessons">guitar lessons</a>, I fell in love with the performance or entertainment aspect of music long before the theory and application. My mother, God bless her, bought me a <a contents="Metallica" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.metallica.com">Metallica</a> box set of live concerts when I was only 11. Truth be told, I didn’t know anything about the band other than the fact that they seemed cool. I spent the following year watching the videos until the tape literally wore out (a problem we no longer have.) I copied every move, and when my Mother was at work, I put on my own concerts in the living room, jumping off of couches and sliding across the carpet (this is a painful, tested, and certifiably bad idea.) Something happened during those formative years that followed me all my life. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">In the beginning, my friends and I would set up our equipment in a garage and play out to the street. We couldn’t actually play, so we turned the radio loud and pretended. This went on for weeks as we all continued lessons and worked our way up to actually playing bits and pieces of songs. As time went by we transcended to playing real shows, then parties, then clubs, and for me it continued all the way up to sports arenas. The growth can be pinpointed all the way back to the air guitar. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">As a professional musician I am often called to play for various artists because of my reputation. Part of that reputation is what we call “stage presence.” To this day I am a high-energy performer running all over the stage. I watch every video and study what works and what does not to constantly improve. Early this year I received a call from Mexican pop star <a contents="Ana Victoria" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.anavictoria.com/">Ana Victoria</a> to do some shows in America. The person on the other line specified that they wanted someone who moves and has fun on stage. I could very confidently tell them they called the right person. Performance is still my favorite part of being a musician. It is my favorite form of expression. No matter what style of music you enjoy, or what level you are as a student, it is vitally important to never loose your sense of imagination, expression and fun. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/c6cf9fb55c2cfd77a005d5d8e8e3d62a2d74c80d/large/969547-10201562524847010-2009788379-n.jpg?1502990130" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Unlike normal schooling, music is not mandatory. It is an accessory to life. <a contents="Music lessons" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">Music lessons</a> can certainly be frustrating and challenging at times, but in the larger picture, it is a fun journey and a limitless vehicle. I encourage students to take some time to work on their air guitar skills, to move when they play, and to smile. Go to <a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.youtube.com">YouTube</a> and check out some of the greats from Jimi Hendrix to Ed Sheeran, from Janis Joplin to Taylor Swift, turn the speakers up and borrow some ideas. They won’t mind, and something tells me they did the same. Most importantly….Have fun! </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez<br><br>Chris Vazquez is the co-owner and director of SoundLife Music Academy. He has performed as a session musician for Leona Lewis, Air Supply, Andre Cymone, Anthony Evans, and many other notable artists. </span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172402017-02-06T10:05:00-08:002020-11-27T17:18:41-08:00How to Practice Productively!<p><span class="font_large">"Practice, Play, Perform"<br><br>The time is 2003 and I proclaim to the world that "I, Chris Vazquez, am going to be a musician." How? Well, I didn't think that far ahead. As far as I knew, I had a guitar and I could kind of play it. I figured that would be enough. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/01cfbdeb740c5c46406914afe7010a806a5b9efb/large/cv-lesson-1.jpg?1502658123" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Practicing Productively " /></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">My guitar teacher at the time was a man named <a contents="Gustavo Them" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed2Qy8X1DLY">Gustavo Them</a>. Gustavo was a strict classical guitar teacher preparing me to follow in his footsteps. Every lesson, Gustavo insisted that I stop practicing and start playing. At my age I just rolled my eyes. However, after practicing passages over and over and eventually stringing them together, I began to play full pieces. In the classical world, a guitarist plays with their finger nails and creates a similar fullness to the piano. A classical guitarist is complete on their own. Once I could get through a whole piece, Gustavo would say, "Now play!" He explained that now, since I knew how to get through, I could put myself into the piece. Gustavo wanted me to show my emotions in the music. He wanted me to stop thinking and just let the music come out. He wanted me to have fun. </span><br><br> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">These <a contents="music lessons" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home">music lessons</a> were preparing me to audition for the <a contents="Baltimore School for Arts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bsfa.org">Baltimore School for Arts</a>, a free, world-renowned arts high school in Baltimore. Once I could play, Gustavo said, "Now we must perform." To him, as well as many other teachers that I had over the years, performing was the culmination of practice and play. Performing was mastery to a point where a musician of any age or skill level could execute their piece with absolute confidence, delivering it to the audience exactly how they intended. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">This concept was echoed throughout my career as recently as a year ago when <a contents="Troy Lauretta" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.mi.edu/student-life/success-stories/troy-laureta-6/">Troy Lauretta</a>, the music director for Ariana Grande, said "Play everything like it's a record...like whatever comes out is being recorded in history. You are proud." Troy and I have played many shows together over the years. As a music director Troy would rehearse the band (i.e. practice them), then run through the show (i.e. playing) and then finally he would add in the dynamics, energy, and emotional quality of a real show (i.e. performing). </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/f37e8455b3f993108ea27e28259741043839260a/large/img-2376.jpg?1502989760" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Music Lessons In Los Angeles" /><br><br>At home, students can take this concept on as a challenge each week. Simply take one song, or one short example, and practice it until it is memorized and playable. The next step is to play it in time, slowly trying to get it up to speed. Once that is all done, take the same example and try playing without looking, with attitude, and with intent. This exercise can start with "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Hotel California." The results will be undeniable. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">-Chris Vazquez</span><br><br>Chris Vazquez is the co-owner and director of SoundLife Music Academy. He is also an experienced Los Angeles based session musician. Chris has performed all of the world with artists such as Air Supply, Leona Lewis, JoJo, Kenny Lattimore, and many others. As an instructor Chris has over 15 years of teaching experience. He is also a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. </p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172382017-02-06T10:05:00-08:002023-07-13T12:38:18-07:00How to Choose an Instrument for Young Children...<p><span class="text-big">31 Flavors...Yes…ice cream. I know it’s been cold and rainy, but here in California, we spend most of the year fighting off the urge for ice cream. Baskin Robbins may not be the highest end ice cream in town, but all of those choices are so fantastic. When I was a young boy, we used to refer to </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en.html" data-link-type="url" contents="Baskin Robbins"><span class="text-big">Baskin Robbins</span></a><span class="text-big"> as “31 Flavors.” That is what separated them from every other ice cream place. When you're a kid getting to try a bunch of different kinds of ice cream, well, what could be better? </span><br><br><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/09170be39f1ff87d509db59bad1b8e92d540043c/large/abstract-music-rock-bw.jpg?1470834963" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Choosing An Instrument" /></span><br><span class="text-big"> </span><br><span class="text-big">We have had a number of parents ask what instrument we believe a child should start learning on. Sometimes there's an instrument that the parents have always wanted to learn, so they naturally urge their child to learn the same instrument. Sometimes parents are convinced that one particular instrument is better than all of the others, often the piano. And sometimes parents are concerned about what instrument might be the easiest to learn. The one thing all parents seem to agree on is a desire to get their child exposed to and interested in learning about music as early as possible. With that said, the most important question becomes: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-an-Instrument" data-link-type="url" contents="What instrument is going to keep my child excited about learning and engaged in the experience?&nbsp;"><span class="text-big">What instrument is going to keep my child excited about learning and engaged in the experience? </span></a><br><br><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/07cc8a34552c58cec1e87be03946c73236a2dce0/large/promo-voice.jpg?1501976599" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></span><br><span class="text-big"> </span><br><span class="text-big">Collectively, </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="SoundLife Music Academy"><span class="text-big">SoundLife Music Academy</span></a><span class="text-big"> instructors have over a 100 years of experience taking lessons, teaching lessons, and performing music. We talk often about what works and what does not work, about what could be adjusted, and about what we believe might be missing. We share our collective experiences to arrive at one singular truth: Exposure is everything! We might like vanilla more than any other flavor, but only because we tried rocky road and seven different sherbets to arrive at this conclusion. </span><br><span class="text-big"> </span><br><span class="text-big">Does this mean we suggest taking </span><a class="no-pjax" href="/home" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Home" contents="music lessons"><span class="text-big">music lessons</span></a><span class="text-big"> on every instrument? Absolutely not! Though we would, of course, love to help set all those music lessons up, we believe the student should decide the instrument and should be personally invested in this decision. For older students, this decision is easier. They come knowing what instrument or instruments they want to play, or they've already dabbled in that instrument on their own. For children, especially very young children, we suggest being exposed to as many instruments as possible before deciding on an instrument. This is easy to do with YouTube videos, car ride sing-a-longs, and seeing pictures that might appeal to them. We also suggest that early music lessons include exposure to the keyboard or piano. </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.steinway.com/news/features/the-benefits-of-playing-piano" data-link-type="url" contents="The piano is the Mother ship of all instruments"><span class="text-big">The piano is the Mother ship of all instruments</span></a><span class="text-big">, and in understanding the piano, we can better understand everything else about music. It also provides instant gratification. </span><br><br><span class="text-big"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/eca06a1298780c645427ca1cd622b5bd8e37541c/large/10013229-10100148500066679-1895910691-n.jpg?1502989931" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /></span><br><span class="text-big"> </span><br><span class="text-big">For students age 5 to 7, we offer a general music style lesson where the teacher can bring a variety of small instruments for students to try. The discipline to study one instrument has not yet developed at this age, but the benefits and gratification of music can be felt immediately in just the smack of a drum, the strum of a guitar, and only a few new notes on a small keyboard. In these introductory lessons, students learn to count, feel rhythm, and learn an awareness of how to recognize instruments and melodies in music. A student can use this process to naturally find their favorite flavor, the instrument that calls to them. For me, it was Jamoca Almond Fudge. </span></p><p> </p><p><span class="text-big">-Chris Vazquez</span><br><br><span class="text-big">Bio: Chris Vazquez is the director and co/owner of SoundLife Music Academy in Los Angeles. As a session musician Chris has played guitar for Air Supply. Leona Lewis, JoJo, Kenny Lattimore, and many otherd. As an instructor he has nearly 20 years of experience with all ages and stylistic background. Chris is a graduate from the Berklee College Of Music in Boston.</span><br><br><br><br><span class="text-big"> </span></p><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<p><label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""></p>
<div style="left:-5000px;position:absolute;" aria-hidden="true"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div>SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172292016-04-12T09:55:00-07:002020-11-27T17:16:53-08:005 Benefits of Working As a Cruise Ship Musician<p><span class="font_large">This past week I had the distinct pleasure of working aboard the <a contents="Oceania Riviera" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.oceaniacruises.com/">Oceania Riviera</a>, a wonderful luxury cruise ship. I spent eight days sailing the Caribbean, playing music every other night with an incredible band. This, believe it or not, is a job. Over the last ten years, music has taken me to some incredible places in the world, and I am grateful daily. The job I am on at the moment is not actual “Cruise Ship Work.” The types of work I will be referring to in this blog are contracts directly with cruise ship companies or agencies for entertainment work aboard their ships. These contracts last anywhere from three to six months, and they find musicians playing in night clubs and showrooms nightly on board the ship. Walking around the ship over the last week reminded me of what it was like working as a cruise ship musician right out of college and some of the long term benefits of those experiences. <br> <br>After four years at <a contents="Berklee College Of Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.berklee.edu">Berklee College Of Music</a> as a guitar performance major, I was chomping at the bit to get out into the world and start working as a musician. I, of course, had no idea how to do that. Unfortunately, music schools and music lessons do not usually teach music students how to work as professional musicians. In the end, you have incredible tools, but no business plan. One great, often overlooked, job opportunity for musicians is working on cruise ships. Every cruise ship has an entertainment department comprising of singers, dancers, instrumentalists, full bands, DJ’s, and much more. After college, I spent just over a year working for Holland America and Seaborne cruise lines. These positions are perfect for young musicians still in school or freshly graduating from college. Here are five benefits to working as a cruise ship musician. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/3785cd90b2cedb476c03a59a13c1899c7569b8ed/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-9-59-01-am.png?1502989193" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Works As A Cruise Ship Musician" /><br> </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">1. Travel, Travel, Travel </span></strong><br><br><span class="font_large">Music students spend plenty of time fantasizing about the places they will go, and I can testify that an instrumental skill can certainly be a great vehicle. Cruise ships visit some of the most exotic places on earth, and in the span of one summer, you could see a dozen countries or more. I did a four-month contract for <a contents="Seaborne cruise" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.seabourn.com/">Seaborne cruise</a> lines that took me to almost thirty countries including Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Egypt. There is no other way, even on tour with an artist, that I would have been able to see some of these places. Looking back, I find the travel to be invaluable. <br> </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">2. Try And Try Again </span></strong><br><br><span class="font_large">In major music cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville, musicians can be judged quickly and harshly. This means that you won’t get many chances to make mistakes without creating a lasting impression. Cruise ships pick up new passengers every cruise and with those new passengers comes a fresh start. If you didn’t do something the way you wanted, don’t worry, you will get another chance, and another, and another. This is a great way to get seasoned quickly in a safe environment before entering into the real world in a major music market, if that is your goal. <br> </span><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>3. Repertoire</strong> <br> <br>In music school and in music lessons, we learn what are called “standards.” This term is most often associated with jazz and refers to a collection of songs that every musician knows. Outside of music school the term “standards” refers to top 40 songs that come up at every wedding, private party, or corporate event. We call these gigs GB, or general business gigs. The songs on these gigs are exactly the same as the songs played on cruise ships. We’re talking everything from Blue Bossa to My Girl to I Will Survive and much more. There are literally hundreds of songs a musician should have in their head and hands at all times. Cruise ships build this repertoire up quickly. <br> </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">4. Sight-Reading </span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Depending on what kind of work you want to do as a professional musician, reading music may or may not be an imperative skill. I work mostly as a pop music sideman, and in this world, reading virtually never comes up. However, when I get called for certain recording sessions or general business work, reading is essential and can be the difference between one person getting the job and another. Cruise ships are all about reading. You will have an iPad filled with music, and every day you will be reading. On some ships, you will be performing with guest performers and they will bring their own charts. The point is that you will get a tremendous amount of reading experience; and by the time your contract is over, if you weren’t already a good reader, you will be. Remember, reading music in a class is never the same as on a gig when it’s do or die. <br> </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">5. Plan Your Next Move </span></strong><br><br><span class="font_large">Though some musicians can make a career out of working on cruise ships, it is difficult and will wear you down. The travel is never ending, you are isolated from the real world, and building a “home” on land is virtually impossible. In my opinion, cruise ship contracts are great for transitioning, especially right out of college or high school before making your next move. They are the perfect summer job. The pay on cruise varies from line to line, but usually falls between $500 and $800 per week. Room and board is included, so saving money is fairly easy. This makes a cruise ship contract perfect for planning the move to a new city, if that is the desire of the heart. <br> <br><em>~Chris</em><br> <br>For information about cruise ship auditions visit <a contents="ProShip's website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.proship.com">ProShip's website</a>. You can also visit cruise line websites and research on Google. Cruise lines are always in need of musicians.</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172272016-03-29T09:50:00-07:002020-11-27T17:18:06-08:0018 Songs for Spring Break 2016...Part II<p><span class="font_large">We’re back! Students often have Spring Break at different times, so we’re back for week two with Part II of the definitive Spring Break playlist for 2016. Are you ready? Did you get your headphones out and head to the pool or beach or backyard? Well, hurry up, and get out there. <br> <br>10. Take It Easy – The Eagles <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="LfeNhwnO8hw" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/LfeNhwnO8hw/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LfeNhwnO8hw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>The Eagles are part of the California sound defined in the 60s by so many classic artists. This song is a perfect road trip anthem. Take Route 66 out to Winslow and stand on the corner. See how it feels. <br> <br>9. I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FscIgtDJFXg" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/FscIgtDJFXg/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FscIgtDJFXg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>The title says it all. Every Top 40 band plays this song all summer long for a reason. Its uplifting message can easily make anyone forget about school and all the stress. <br> <br> <br>8. California Gurls – Katy Perry <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="F57P9C4SAW4" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/F57P9C4SAW4/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F57P9C4SAW4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>Why is Katy Perry on the list? Well, Katy Perry is awesome. I know, many of these songs are proven classics, and Katy is a pop star, and this song is silly, and blah blah blah. This song is fun, and so is Spring Break. <br> <br>7. Happy – Pharrell Williams <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="y6Sxv-sUYtM" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/y6Sxv-sUYtM/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y6Sxv-sUYtM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>Is anyone ever unhappy when school gets out on the Friday before Spring Break? Even if you love school and have incredible friends and the most popular girl or boy around you arm, no one is ever sad about vacation. Maybe this should be the first song on the list. <br> <br>6. Brighter Than The Sun – Colbie Caillat <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="KU5o6M7S5nQ" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/KU5o6M7S5nQ/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KU5o6M7S5nQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>Colbie penned a gem. This bubbly song represents everything great about vacation. Maybe you’re not headed to Cancun this year, but Colbie can take you there. <br> <br>5. Don’t Worry Be Happy – Bob Marley <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Oo4OnQpwjkc" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Oo4OnQpwjkc/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oo4OnQpwjkc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>Every vacation needs this song, along with the whole Bob Marley catalog. This song is near the top of the list for a reason. Spring Break isn’t long, so don’t waste any time, and certainly “Don’t Worry.” <br> <br>4. Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="PIb6AZdTr-A" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/PIb6AZdTr-A/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PIb6AZdTr-A?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>This is another classic where the title says it all. Cyndi Lauper’s 80s smash hit will never go away. Sure, it sounds dated, but who cares. The message still resonates. <br> <br>3. Lazy Song – Bruno Mars <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="fLexgOxsZu0" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/fLexgOxsZu0/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fLexgOxsZu0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br>In no way do I condone laziness. However, if it’s Spring Break and all of your guitar practice is done…why not take a day? Laziness could certainly be handled on the beach or by a pool and not in front of the television or computer. <br> <br>2. Island In The Sun – Weezer <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="HVHUjzZZGQ4" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/HVHUjzZZGQ4/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HVHUjzZZGQ4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>I really don’t know how they did and continue to do it, but Weezer has creative mojo music magic. They are one of a kind, and this song is a vacation mainstay unlike any other. Go ahead, put it on, leave a commitment, and disagree. Double dare… <br> <br>1. Spring – Antonio Vivaldi <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-4kTei0XrCs" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/-4kTei0XrCs/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-4kTei0XrCs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>Taken from “The Four Seasons,” Spring is the most uplifting movement in the famous concerto. The opening theme is easily recognizable, and though it’s not being pumped at clubs, Spring is what it is and has been for quite some time. <br> <br> <br>There it is…18 songs for Spring Break. For the record, I created this exact playlist in my phone. My wife and I are going to test it out on our next vacation. Wish us luck….<br><br><br>-Chris Vazquez<br>SoundLife Music Academy</span><br> </p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172262016-03-22T09:50:00-07:002020-11-27T17:17:37-08:0018 Songs for Spring Break 2016...Part I<p><span class="font_large">That’s right, music students – school is out and it’s time to take extra music lessons and lock yourself away in a room to practice all day long…right? Maybe not, but it is time to say goodbye to the cold rainy season and hello to Spring! Since eighteen is the age when students most often enter college, and college has such a long-standing history of turning perfectly fine young people into cavemen for one week out of the year and calling it Spring Break, we have pulled together eighteen songs to ring in Spring for 2016. Please enjoy Part 1 of our Spring Break 2016 Playlist. <br> <br> <br>18. Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="xfMWJi4req4" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/xfMWJi4req4/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xfMWJi4req4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>Nothing says warm weather and positive energy like this Beatles classic. As soon as the opening chords strike, the listener knows they’ve been transported. <br> <br> <br>17. Walking On Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iPUmE-tne5U" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/iPUmE-tne5U/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iPUmE-tne5U?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>Walking On Sunshine is pure fun. After thirty years this song stands as one of the best vacation songs of all time. <br> <br>16. Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Eab_beh07HU" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Eab_beh07HU/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eab_beh07HU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>The title says it all. Brian Wilson’s masterpiece will never go out of style. Music students can learn so much from this song with its layers of rich textures. <br> <br>15. Soak Up The Sun – Sheryl Crow <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="KIYiGA_rIls" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/KIYiGA_rIls/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KIYiGA_rIls?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>Sheryl Crow tapped into a mood on this record. The whole album has a “get away from it all” energy, and this song sums it all up. <br> <br>14. Beautiful Day – U2 <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="co6WMzDOh1o" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/co6WMzDOh1o/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/co6WMzDOh1o?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>U2 has a long history of creating inspiring music, but this song wakes up the best part of people. On the first Monday of Spring Break, try waking up to this classic and see how quickly vacation sets in. <br> <br>13. Keep your Head Up – Andy Grammer <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CmrOB_q3tjo" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/CmrOB_q3tjo/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CmrOB_q3tjo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br> <br>Andy Grammer might be newer compared to other artists on this list, but he’s been putting out positive musical energy for over a decade in Los Angeles. Keep Your Head Up of is the warm weather jam that you can’t help but sing out loud. <br> <br>12. All Star – Smash Mouth <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="L_jWHffIx5E" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/L_jWHffIx5E/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_jWHffIx5E?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>It’s officially a classic! All Star resonates with everyone of every age. Take a moment in your car by yourself, windows down, and blast this chorus on your way to the beach. <br> <br>11. Best Day Of My Life – American Authors <br> <br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Y66j_BUCBMY" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Y66j_BUCBMY/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y66j_BUCBMY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> <br>The last song on part 1 of our list is an infectious feel good anthem. It’s impossible to hear this song and not smile. <br> <br>Alright….now, we’ve broken this list up into two parts for two reasons. One, finding these gems and narrowing everything down takes time. Two, it takes time to listen to all these songs. Take a few minutes each day during break and get into vacation mode.</span></p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy tag:www.soundlifelessons.com,2005:Post/48172212016-03-15T09:45:00-07:002020-11-27T17:16:07-08:004 Ways to Make Practicing the Guitar More Fun<p><em>We all know practicing an instrument can be no fun at all, especially when it’s the beginning and there is so far to go. The guitar is a particularly frustrating instrument in the beginning. Your fingers will hurt. Things will not sound the way you want. Coordination may seem impossible. I wish I could give every student a magic solution for these woes, but alas, I cannot. I promise there is hope. Practicing can be fun! It’s up to you to get inspired and try some things outside of the box. Here are a few simple suggestions to get over the initial frustration and get on track to being a Jedi Super Hero Rockstar Guitar Master… </em></p>
<h4>
<em> </em><br> <br><strong>1. Jedi Mind Tricks </strong>
</h4>
<p><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/69eba437a2ac0f68dd52c9fa6c2344275eaf9e7f/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-9-40-12-am.png?1502988149" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong><br> <br>Everyone knows that Jedis can move things with their mind, right? Well, as musicians we have to learn very similar skills. Our hands do not naturally move the way we need them to, and for guitar players this can be very problematic. What do you do? Practice like a Jedi! Put your hands on a chord and without playing, concentrate on a chord you would like to move to next. At first look at your hand and make the movement. Then try to make it quicker and quicker, each time focusing more and more on minimizing the finger movement. When you feel confident, try looking away and moving. Can you do it? If so, you are officially a Jedi! <br><br> <br><strong>2. One Trick Pony </strong> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/866674c70b434099f65f9d03bf151bb1ff14c8e9/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-9-39-32-am.png?1502988174" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br> <br>There is something to be said for having one or only a few really good tricks. In certain cases that may be all you need. One fun suggestion is to learn a very simple riff or motif and play is every way possible. Take “I Love Rock And Roll” and learn to play it in time. Then play it with the recording. Then play it standing up. Then play it standing up and rocking out like Joan Jett. Then play it standing on your head…Well, maybe not the last one…safety first. </p>
<h4>
<br><strong>3. Look What I Can Do</strong> </h4>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/03353a7b4483284fb9f97954303b30bb91d9f8f1/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-9-40-46-am.png?1502988215" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><br> <br>Who said you can’t show off? There is nothing wrong with showing off something you are learning, especially to Mom and Dad, or friends and family. Whether it’s Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Hotel California, show what you are learning to as many people as possible. With very little effort, you can even make a short video of what you’ve learned and share it with the world. </p>
<h4>
<br> <br><strong>4. The Flash </strong>
</h4>
<p><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/260009/6aa69d832f7166893c1ceec4630241ebd9698752/large/screen-shot-2017-08-17-at-9-41-16-am.png?1502988240" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></strong><br> <br>Flash cards are not only for math, and super powers are not only for super heroes. Just think what The Flash could do on a guitar. It’s scary to imagine. In music lessons, we can use flash cards for just about anything. In your own time, take a piece of paper and cut it up into small even sections. On one side, write the letters A through G. Mix those pieces of paper up and get to work. Pull out a letter and play the chord. Then pull out another piece and find that chord. If a letter comes up that you aren’t sure of, look it up and throw that one back into the pile. Every time you go through the pile, try to respond a little faster. This will help develop those super powers.</p><!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form --><link href="//cdn-images.mailchimp.com/embedcode/horizontal-slim-10_7.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"><style type="text/css">#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;}
/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */</style><div id="mc_embed_signup"><form action="https://soundlifelessons.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5&id=3b670aac70" class="validate" id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" method="post" name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form" novalidate="" target="_blank"><div id="mc_embed_signup_scroll">
<label for="mce-EMAIL">Receive Our Free Monthly Newsletter!</label> <input class="email" id="mce-EMAIL" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" required="" type="email" value=""> <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups--><div aria-hidden="true" style="position: absolute; left: -5000px;"><input name="b_156340e7157c46d3e23c53da5_3b670aac70" tabindex="-1" type="text" value=""></div>
<div class="clear"><input class="button" id="mc-embedded-subscribe" name="subscribe" type="submit" value="Subscribe"></div>
</div></form></div><!--End mc_embed_signup-->SoundLife Music Academy